Guardian of the Dead (Old)
by Vertius
Summary: When Ichigo starts having strange dreams after the Winter War he visits Urahara in hope of getting some insight into these strange nightly visions. Instead, he is told that everything he once believed to be a myth is actually real and this world is much bigger than he originally imagined.
1. Chapter 1

**Hello everyone and welcome to my newest story! I have been toying with this idea for far too long and decided to just go for it. I'll always try and update as soon as I can but I don't spend all my free time writing and you never know when life is going to throw a curve ball at you so all I can do is my best and hope my readers can remain patient.**

 **Before we get into the actual story there are a couple of things I'd like to go over that I know will be asked. Yes, there will hopefully be romance in this story, I say hopefully because I have never tried to write it before and so I may not be very good at it. Yes, this is DXD, however, Ichigo will** _ **not**_ **have a harem, that just isn't him in my opinion. I would maybe – and that's a strong maybe – do two girls at once if I had a strong reason to do so but it's still unlikely.**

 **As for everyone's favourite pervert Issei, yes he will still be in this story. I dislike when authors take Ichigo and slot him into Issei's position and then follow canon identically, that's lazy writing in my opinion and I don't agree with it. Also, Ichigo will not now nor will he ever be joining a Devil's peerage, be it Rias, Sona, or whoever. The Ichigo I know would never become someone's servant willingly and even if he was forced into it he still wouldn't follow the orders of his 'master,' that just isn't him.**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own Bleach, Highschool DXD, nor any of their respective characters.**

* * *

Guardian of the Dead

\- Chapter 1 -

It had been six months since the end of the Winter War and things had not gone at all like he'd hoped.

When he gave everything to defeat Aizen, the megalomaniac with dreams of godhood, he really didn't care what happened to him afterwards as long as he won. As he looked back on it now he realized what an irresponsible way of thinking that was when it came to such an important and life-changing decision for himself, especially when it was his soul on the line, but he didn't care back then and that sentiment still hadn't changed. The way he saw it there were only two options, the first would be him sacrificing his powers to win and the second would be him keeping his powers and letting Aizen win, the choice was incredibly easy to make and in truth should have been no matter who was in his position.

Yes, he was losing his powers, his ability to do that which he loved, protect, however, he wasn't the only one capable of safeguarding the souls of the dead, there was a whole army of Shinigami dedicated to that very task. Besides, when all was said and done he would still have his friends, his family, so what was the problem? Eventually, his powers would return to him and when that happened all would go back to normal.

Or so he thought.

Sure, for the first couple of weeks after the final battle in which his powers were slowly but surly fading away his friends stayed by his side, constantly checking on him and making sure he was truly happy with the outcome and that there were no complications, but after that fateful day in which he watched Rukia fade from existence in front of the Kurosaki Clinic everything changed.

His father tried to maintain some normalcy by keeping up his goody facade and routinely attacking him, but as time passed his 'training' became less frequent and less intense. Isshin had always been better with the girls and so despite what either of them wanted it became quite awkward between the two. His so-called human friends treated him as if he were made of glass, like his supposedly fragile state would shatter at but the slightest whispers of the supernatural. Always hushing up their discussions when he approached, unable to look him in the eye, and on the occasions in which they would return from hollow hunting with smiles on their faces after the exciting break from their everyday lives, it would all disappear when they noticed his gaze was upon them.

The Visored, who claimed him to be a part of their family on multiple occasions - something that truly made him happy since he'd never felt like he truly belonged anywhere, to any specific group - never once came to visit him, and sadly it was the same with the Shinigami. At first, he just assumed that they were really busy in the aftermath of the war, but as days turned to weeks and weeks to months, not once did someone come by to see him in a Gigai. Even on the rare occasion that he went to the Urahara Shop, there were never any messages left for him.

Kisuke and Yoruichi themselves still treated him normally, something which he appreciated more than they would ever know, and even though he considered them to be good friends, without his powers there was just no need to go over there. Urahara was always busy with his research and experiments and Yoruichi was always bouncing between the Soul Society and the human world doing whatever it was that free-spirited cat liked to do.

So really the only sense of normalcy he got on a daily basis was thanks to the two little angels he called his sisters. He was so proud of them. They were already growing up to be incredible woman and he tried his best not to show them his increasing sadness but sometimes it just slipped out of him when he thought no one was looking. But thankfully, instead of trying to make him talk about it they would just do anything they could to distract him from whatever thoughts were plaguing him, be it Karen asking him to help her practice soccer or Yuzu asking him to help with the grocery shopping.

He was so grateful for them and he tried to show it as much as possible, but they were growing older and he didn't want to be that over-protective big brother so much, instead letting them go out and forge their own paths leaving him to watch over from afar and give his help when they needed it. Unfortunately, because of this, he was left with much more free time on his hands, free time in which his mind could wander and think of all the negative things that weighed him down. A tinge of sadness would always enter his heart at those moments, though it would quickly pass and be replaced by frustration, frustration at his situation and frustration at everyone around him.

They were fools, all of them.

This continued endlessly for weeks and after a while of being pushed away, he could safely say that he had fallen into a pretty bad case of depression. He began to second guess himself, constantly wondering if all of his supposed friends ever liked him in the first place. Maybe that was why they had all abandoned him now, maybe it was all an elaborate ruse they created to use him and his vast power. It certainly made sense, why else would they all disappear from his life now that he no longer had any of that incredible power? Maybe he had never been more than a weapon to any of them in the first place, someone who would clean up all of their messes for them under the guise of friendship, meanwhile they were all laughing at his naivete behind his back.

Honestly, he was just being really pathetic, and one night during the long months of being powerless he realized this, then everything changed.

He'd been thinking about his time as a Shinigami, and more importantly his time with Zangetsu and even his Hollow, the lessons he'd been taught by them. He never really noticed it before but most of the things he had learned had been from his Hollow and not old man Zangetsu. This confused him, his Hollow had always gone on about how he wanted to consume Ichigo's soul and take the crown for himself, yet now that he thought about it the attempts made were always quite lazy.

If he looked back on all of that now he could easily recall a couple of times where if his Hollow really wanted the crown he could have taken it, and there would've been nothing Ichigo could do to stop it. Yet he never did. He always gave Ichigo another chance, always said the right things to push him in the right direction, always taught him how to win, it didn't make sense.

It was during one of those moments of reminiscence that the realization hit him like a slap to the face, he had been acting so weak and out of character, he was no longer being himself, the old man would be so disappointed in him right now. It was he who always told Ichigo to abandon his fear, to look forward, move forward and never stop, that he would age if he pulled back, if he hesitated he would die, yet that is what he'd been doing this whole time. Ever since that day Rukia left he fell into a state of stagnation and let despair take hold, well no more, it was about time he put everything behind him and started moving forwards once more.

That was when everything changed for him. He threw himself into a heavy training regime because even without his powers he wanted to stay in shape, he loved getting his adrenaline going, pushing himself to his limits and then smashing through them like he always had. When he wasn't training he was studying, he'd always been smart however with his Shinigami duties taking up a lot of his time his grades eventually fell no matter how hard he tried to balance the two of them. With some effort he managed to get himself up into the top five of his school right behind Inoue and Ishida at third which to him was perfect, he was close to starting his final year of High School and would need good grades if he wished to get into a good College.

Speaking of his friends, things still stayed awkward between them for the most part and they still tiptoed around the supernatural subjects when he was near which annoyed him, but some form or normalcy had ensued at least during school hours and that was good enough for him. He had more than enough to do anyways between studying, training, and saving up money from his part-time job. He would keep moving forward, keep improving, and when that day eventually came when his powers returned to him he would be smarter, faster, stronger and just more prepared to do that which he was meant to, protect.

It was also when he made that self-discovery that something else changed with him, something he had yet to tell anyone else about in his life. Ever since the end of the Winter War, his sleep had been plagued by a strange dream. As time moved on it would appear more and more frequently and more details would be revealed to him with each passing night. It was odd, continually seeing this world of Angels, Fallen Angels, Devils, massive Dragons soaring through the sky, creatures which after some research he learned to be Nekomata and Kitsune and so much more.

He didn't know why his mind was continually showing him this world but he was more than content to let it pass without telling anyone, at least until he started hearing a voice. It was after his personal self-discovery that he originally began hearing it, just soft whispers in the back of his mind that he couldn't quite understand. As with the scenery that became less clouded as time passed the voice too became louder until it the message was clearly being received.

" _Wake up. When will you wake up, Ichigo Kurosaki.._ "

" _This world needs a Savior, there are still so many counting on you.._ "

At first, he was going to brush it off, it was probably just his minds way of telling him that he missed his powers, which he did. Then he reconsidered. He' already d experienced far too much in the supernatural, learned too much about the human soul and it's capabilities to just brush it off. So with a feeling of dread bubbling in his stomach he asked himself the one question which came to mind, ' _Aizen was gone, defeated, and locked away, so who does the world need saving from?_ '

To answer this question he went to the one man who seemed to know everything, Kisuke Urahara.

* * *

~ Urahara Shop

"So you've been having this dream since the end of the Winter War..?" the shopkeeper reaffirmed, an odd look on his face after hearing the teens problem.

These two had an uncanny ability to piss Ichigo off, the way his two mentors were looking at him made him really think he was losing it, "Yeah, they started after my powers fully vanished."

Urahara hummed in thought for a moment, his eyes never once leaving those of the teens. "And what have these dreams consisted of?"

Ichigo mind raced and he once more caught that brief flash of intensity in the shopkeeper's eyes, the same one he always got whenever something big was going on, ' _but what could be so serious about these dreams.._ '

"It's always been the same, though as time passed more and more became clear to me. I see Angels, Fallen Angels, Devils, Dragons of all sizes, those half-human half-animal beings called Kitsune and Nekomata, and it's always really sunny and warm.." The former Shinigami trailed off slowly, the hairs on the back of his neck standing as his two mentors gazed through him, small lines of concern forming at the edges of their eyes.

"Is there any more Ichigo? Maybe voices or..?" Yoruichi questioned eagerly, maybe too eagerly she realized as Ichigo's own eyes briefly narrowed at her question.

"Yes actually, though it only started recently after a sort of self-discovery I guess you could call it. It's always a female voice, and she always says the same thing to me." Okay now he was getting a little self-conscious, where were the usual teasing remarks? Instead, both of them only looked more serious than before.

After a couple more seconds of the awkward staring contest, he released a sigh and told them. "She always says Wake up, when will you wake up Ichigo Kurosaki. This world needs a Savior, there are still so many counting on you."

Silence. That was the only response he got, they were probably going to start laughing at him anytime. ' _Oh my Kurosaki-san, your hero complex is a large as ever I see,_ ' is what that bastard will probably say as he waves that stupid fan in front of his face. Surprisingly however that wasn't what happened. Instead, the shopkeeper silently got up mumbling an ' _I see_ ,' and ' _I'll be right back_ ,' before leaving the room.

The man didn't even come back for a good ten minutes leaving Ichigo and Yoruichi in a bit of an awkward silence. He couldn't read the look she had on her face but the woman seemed content to just sit there and stare at him the whole time bringing a little bit of pink to his cheeks, something she did not miss if the cat-like smirk on her face was anything to go by. When Urahara did finally return Ichigo was surprised to see his father trailing a couple feet behind the man.

"Oyaji..? What are you doing here?" the man in question did briefly meet gazes with his son and nod his head slightly but he didn't reply, instead, he chose to sit down and take a moment to collect his thoughts.

A tense moment passed before he looked up again, his eyes once more finding those of his son's. In his eyes were a myriad of emotions, apprehension, fear, sadness, anger, all of them conveyed strongly to the former Shinigami. It was obvious that whatever Isshin was about to say was heavily weighing on him, and had been for a long time.

"Ichigo, do you remember during the battle in fake Karakura, you told me that when I was ready I could tell you everything?" He asked, getting a hesitant nod in return from his son. Isshin let out a deep sigh before continuing, "Well, due to recent developments now is that time."

Ichigo's heart rate picked up at those words and his mind began to race, "recent developments? You mean the dreams? But what do they have-" the words died in his throat when Urahara stuck his hand up and gave him a look that said ' _listen first, ask questions later._ '

Isshin sighed again and scratched at the stubble under his chin before leaning back into a more relaxed posture, his eyes becoming cloudy as he reminisced. "You should know that you were never really a true Shinigami, but, you aren't really a normal human either.

Ichigo, your mother was.. She was a Quincy."

' _What?!_ ' he screamed out internally, outwardly his eyes had bulged. "A Quincy?! But how?"

His father slumped forwards now, eyes falling to the cup sat before him. "As you know I'm a Shinigami, and I used to be the Captain of the tenth as well. Well back then we kept receiving reports of a mysterious but very powerful Hollow that had been stalking the nearby Naruki City and killing all the low-level Shinigami stationed there. The problem was that the bastard would appear and disappear from the human world faster than you could blink thus we could never get a full read on the thing or dispatch a Captain to go kill it.

I knew something was odd about the situation even if no one else wanted to admit it and so I took a little trip down there myself to check it out. It didn't take very long for the Hollow to show itself and it was surprising, to say the least. It was fairly human in shape much like a Vasto Lorde and damn did it have the power to match. It was all black and it's Hollow hole had been filled with some unknown substance which was most surprising.

Anyways, I engaged it and was forced to release my Shikai pretty early on but even still I was struggling. It had two blades for arms and could coat them in a black and red reiatsu to further strengthen its blows. It felt like the longer this battle went on, the stronger the Hollow would get. I was fully prepared to release my Bankai just get it over with."

There was a slight pause in Isshin's story as he noticed his son tense, he as well as Kisuke and Yoruichi knew what had struck the teen so harshly and it was by no mistake that Isshin gave such a blunt bit of foreshadowing. Black reiatsu tinted red and the ability to cloak its blade in that reiatsu to strengthen its blows would sound shockingly familiar to the teen across from them.

Ichigo's eyes were filled with confusion and uncertainty and his mind pieced the puzzle together, he so badly wanted to ask for the answers but even if he did he doubted to would receive them, he would need to hold his tongue and keep listening to find out the answers to all that plagued him.

Taking a deep breath his father once more began to speak, "At the time I wasn't aware of who it really was but now I know that it had been Aizen who was lurking in the shadows, hiding with one of Kisuke's cloaks so that he could watch his experiment in person. He must've known that I was going to release Bankai so he struck me from behind, deeply wounding my back to the point where I was unable to focus my reiatsu and release Bankai without having detrimental after effects.

I'll admit that things weren't looking good for me, however, not all hope was lost, just as the hollow was readying to finish me off your mother swooped in and saved my life, she ended up tricking the Hollow and finished it off with one shot.

Ichigo couldn't help but crack a small, sad smile at the information. It was shocking to hear that Aizen's machinations had gone so far back, even affecting his own father, but to hear that it had been his mother who had saved him all those years ago was something he could easily picture.

"Sadly that isn't the end of our story as your mother was quite the reckless one. When I say she tricked the Hollow she did so by letting it bite her which allowed her to get one clean, point black shot that would kill it for good. It worked thankfully, but there were some negative side effects. A few days after the incident she collapsed and began to undergo Hollowfication. Unfortunately for Quincy, a Hollow is like a deadly poison to them, so unlike the Visored who have a chance at subduing and gaining control of their inner a Hollow, a Quincy will only die if they are infected, or so we thought.

It turns out that Kisuke had developed a method to stop this from happening which was what brought about our initial meeting. In short, I would enter a special Gigai that would tie my soul to hers and with my Shinigami powers I would be able to suppress the Hollow inside her sparing her life. Only upon her mortal death would the link break allowing me to exit the Gigai and regain my powers. At least that's how it was supposed to work. When she passed away on July 17th my powers did start returning to me, however, there was something blocking them from coming back completely."

"Me," Ichigo replied simply, finishing his father's train of thought. "I'm part Shinigami from you and part Quincy from mom, and when I was born the Hollow that your reiatsu was suppressing transferred itself to my soul in an attempt to escape."

The three adults nodded their heads approvingly at his deduction. "Correct, though unluckily for the Hollow his plan didn't have the desired effect, yes he was able to transfer himself to you but the link to my powers came along with him. It was only after your powers started growing at a tremendous rate during your raid on the Soul Society that mine were no longer able to suppress it and the link shattered allowing your Hollow to fully awaken."

' _No wonder Aizen always treated me like I was some crazy science experiment,_ ' he mused bitterly to himself, then something else clicked in his mind. ' _Wait, if I have been part Hollow since birth then that would me that_ he _has been here since the beginning as well and not just the shattered shaft like I previously_ thought.'

Ichigo frowned further as he continued to think about the psycho he called an inner hollow, ' _Then again he did always try and tell me that he too was Zangetsu, I just never wanted to believe it. I always thought he was my enemy, but looking back on it now he was the one who saved my life more than anyone else._ '

Shaking his head lightly he changed the direction of his thoughts, first and foremost he needed to consider the man before him and everything he'd just been told. ' _Yeah I wish he had told me sooner, maybe if I'd begun training at a younger age things would have turned out differently, perhaps all of this could have been avoided._ ' Shaking his head again he dropped the subject, it was already done and dwelling on it wouldn't accomplish anything, besides, he'd just realized something else.

"Y'know it just hit me," he started, looking towards his father with a grin, "You said you were going to release your Bankai to fight the Hollow yet mom was able to kill it with only one arrow. You must've been a pretty weak Captain, huh?" As he finished his grin grew wider when he noticed his father's eyebrow start twitching at his comment.

"Why you little.." Isshin began, only to be interrupted by the laughter of Urahara and Yoruichi, he too couldn't resist letting out the chuckle bubbling in his stomach. He was just glad that Ichigo had accepted everything nicely and it seemed that he wasn't holding anything against him for keeping such large secrets for so long.

Urahara clapped once drawing the attention of the room to him, "Now then!" He began, a cheery expression on his face as he gazed towards the youngest of the four, "With all of that backstory out of the way we can finally get onto the main order of business."

Ichigo perked up at this, sure he was glad to finally know everything about himself and his family but clearly there was something more to the dreams he had been having and he was really anxious to find out what.

"I should start by saying that everything you have been seeing in those drams is 100% real, Kurosaki-san."

Ichigo stared bug-eyed at the statement, looking as if the shopkeeper had suddenly grown a second head.

"Come now, surely you didn't think that Shinigami, Hollow, and Quincy were all that existed out there?"

The teen looked ready to smack the man to his left, "How the hell would I know otherwise? Those are the only races I've ever seen."

Urahara's eyebrow rose slightly almost as if asking ' _are you sure about that?_ ' further annoying the teen. "Oh? Then what about Komamura-taichou? Or our very own Yoruichi-san? The first is a wolf and the latter a cat, surely you don't believe they are just regular Shinigami like everyone else."

It didn't take long for Ichigo to nod in acceptance at the man's words, he had been rather shortsighted to not realize that a wolf and a cat aren't exactly normal even in a world of Shinigami and Hollows.

"The fact of the matter is that we Shinigami, Hollow, and Quincy are the minority in this universe of supernatural beings. Our role as the keepers of balance is far too important to be messed with and thus we are kept separate from everything else."

"Kept separate from everyone else? By who? Does it have anything to do with the woman whose voice I keep hearing?" He wasn't sure how to feel about what he was hearing, the way Urahara said that made it sound like they were prisoners, forever kept in solitude and unable to interact with the rest of the world as the did their duties.

"Yes, I'd say it has quite a lot to do with the woman who wishes to meet you considering they are on in the same. As I said earlier we cannot go into too much detail Kurosaki-san so just know this, she wants to meet you, and should you agree then all the questions you have will be answered."

Ichigo's eyelids fell slightly, appearing to be in a daze as he watched the leaves in his cup of tea swirl, giving a simple reply of ' _I see._ ' as he mulled over the most recent topic of discussion between the four at the small table. It was obvious that his father and two mentors wanted him to meet this woman, or at the very least trusted her enough to where if Ichigo agreed to meet her they wouldn't be hesitant in sending him to wherever he would have to go.

He'd be lying if he said he wasn't curious, whoever this woman was, clearly she was powerful and likely of a different race to anything he'd ever seen before too. Hell, if Dragons, Angels, and Devils all exist it wouldn't be too shocking to think Gods did as well, and knowing his luck he wouldn't be all that surprised to find out it was a God of all things that wished to meet him.

' _It's suspicious though, why would this person want to meet_ me _of all people, especially now that I've lost my powers._ ' It just wasn't adding up to the teen, not to mention.. "If this woman is such a big secret then how do you three seem to know her? And why me anyways?"

"Why you? You heard her Ichigo, this world still needs a Savior and who better to save it than you?" Yoruichi finished with a smirk, even if the kid wouldn't admit it he _loved_ to play hero and would gladly do so again if given the chance. She would admit that she'd grown quite fond of him since their first meeting and that selflessness of his was a big part of it. "As for how we know her.. I can't speak for Isshin but you know this guy loves digging into things he isn't supposed too." she finished, jabbing her thumb at the man with the striped hat.

The youngest of the four scoffed at that, he wasn't surprised in the slightest to hear that Urahara had once again dug a little too deep and found out something he shouldn't have, his thirst for knowledge was far too great to expect otherwise. Shifting his attention to his father now he could only wonder what he had done to meet this mysterious woman but he wouldn't push it for today, he'd already been told a lot that Isshin probably wasn't fully ready to tell but had to due to the circumstances.

No, anything else his father had yet to tell could wait until the appropriate time, all Ichigo wanted now was to know what his father thought of all this. Sure they had never been the closest through the years and there were a lot of lies told and secrets kept that didn't help the situation, but he loves his father just as much as he loved- still loves his mother and he knows that Isshin loves him just as much as he does Yuzu and Karin. So as valuable as his two mentor's opinions are to him, nothing could beat his own fathers.

It only took a brief second of eye contact for the message to be conveyed from father to son, ' _Do it, you weren't born to waste away in this town studying for exams, your purpose is far greater than that, you are a protector, so go and do your name proud._ '

"Alright, I'll meet this woman, just tell me how."

"I'm glad to hear it, Kurosaki-san!" The shopkeeper replied jovially while rolling up the right sleeve of his kimono confusing Ichigo who without his powers was unable to see the faint golden glow which surrounded the man's arm.

Even though he was unable to see the glow he did feel the familiar tugging sensation he used to get when separating from his human body, though before he could question any of the three on what was happening the back room of the Urahara Shop he was in vanished leaving only the three adults who occupied it with him.

"You know he won't be able to come back for a while Kisuke, what happens when Soul Society notices that he's gone?" The Goddess of Flash pondered, earning a sly look from the man in question.

"Why whatever do you mean my feline friend?" He responded, pulling out his fan a waving it much to enthusiastically in front of his face, "I am but a handsome, humble shopkeeper, surely I cannot be expected to know the whereabouts of our young friend at all times."

Isshin and Yoruichi smirked at the reply, Urahara had already told them that his ties with the Soul Society had long since been severed and that he would always have Ichigo's back, even if it meant going against the very organization which he used to call home.

* * *

~ Planes of Takama-ga-hara

Any who were lucky enough to set foot in the high planes of heaven would be stunned by the beauty of the sight before them, it was nothing short of breathtaking. The planes themselves were set onto a large floating island, green grass and rolling hills as far as the eyes could see, rivers of crystal water weaving and cutting through the land. The sounds of birds chirping lightly echoed in the air as various animals of all shapes and sizes scurried and roamed the vast ground without a care in the world.

On the northernmost part of the island, an intricately crafted marble bridge arched out over the abyss below connecting to a golden gate which bridged them to the human world. A large village sat on the opposite side of the bridge which acted as the home to a large part of the Kyuubi population that lived under the Shinto Trinity and more importantly the Goddess of the Sun.

It was always peaceful here, never raining, the skies were always blue with various amounts of clouds rolling overhead. The temperature was almost always perfect in the Heavenly Planes. The motherly Amaterasu who loved all of her children was not immune to moments of frustration and sadness herself thus temperature would rise and fall varying on her mood at the current time. Today, however, was different, the temperature was _perfect_ , not to cool and not to warm which meant one thing, the Goddess of the Sun was very happy.

The reason for her heightened joy and slight anticipation lay in the arrival of a very special guest for the not only the Shinto Trinity but the faction as a whole. After seventeen years of patiently waiting for the son of Isshin Shiba and heir to the Shiba Clan, not to mention Amaterasu's favourite young hero, Ichigo Kurosaki was coming to the planes to finally meet her and hopefully usher in a new era of peace for the supernatural worlds.

She had first met his father Isshin when she did the one thing she was never supposed to, she left the Heavenly Planes and entered the mortal realm to use her powers for the purpose of cheating death. On that rainy June night eight years ago Ichigo Kurosaki was supposed to die along with his mother, but something called out to the Goddess of the Sun, the mother of the Nihon-jin, in the depths of her soul something screamed at her that this young boy with a bright smile and hair like the sun could not die, it was not yet his time.

Isshin was of course eternally grateful to her, he'd lost his wife that night and was seconds away from losing his only son too, he promised her that if there was anything he could do to thank her, he would. She was blunt with him in stating that when Ichigo had aged some she wished to meet him face to face, they would know when the time had come but she made it clear that she would not rush it.

Part of it was simply because she wished to see what kind of man he would become in the future, the boy she had saved, sure she could watch over him from above, and she would, but there was nothing quite like meeting someone face to facing and laying everything to bear. That was only half of it, however, the other part of her knew that when the time finally came in which Ichigo would step foot onto the Heavenly Planes she would ask him to carry yet another heavy burden on his already weighted shoulders.

She would ask him to be the Shinto's connection the rest of the supernatural once more, for far too long they had kept to themselves and it was time that changed. Tensions between the factions of the world were grower ever higher, teetering dangerously on the point of breaking out in a war which would shape this universe none for the better. With the re-emergence of the Infinite Dragon God it was about time the Shinto stepped back into things and helped in the efforts of bringing peace between the pantheons and forging an alliance that could fend off any threat to the peace currently holding the world, be they Man or God.

And perhaps it was a bit petty of her but she also wanted to send Ichigo down there to curb the Devils ever-growing arrogance before it could grow any further, though honestly, her patience had already thinned to dangerous levels. She had been gracious in granting the Devils permission to use her land of Japan to set up their little 'territories' as they called it, the only condition being that they had to follow certain guidelines as to ensure her children's safety.

Now, however, those territories had simply become areas where their arrogant and naive children could live and experience a human life all while believing themselves to be the rulers of that land and doing whatever the hell they pleased on it. Well no more.

For hopes of peace the Goddess of the Sun really didn't want to terminate their deal with them and essentially give them the boot but they as well as the Fallen Angels were pushing their luck just a little too far. Their behaviour was unacceptable and she would be lying if she said she didn't wish for Ichigo to verbally or physically if need be put them back in their place.

A devious smile crept onto her face as she thought of all the possibilities the future might hold.

* * *

~ Unknown Location.

' _Typical Urahara, never explains what he's doing and just does it,_ ' Ichigo mused as he stood in an unending darkness. When the Urahara Shop vanished and he could once more feel solid ground beneath his feet he opened his eyes to see nothing, just an endless void that reminded him way too much of a Garganta for his liking, all that was missing was the blue reishi path beneath his feet and it would be exactly the same. This, however, was not a Garganta, and there was no reishi path beneath his feet, just a single golden archway that stood proudly in the distance providing the only source of light in this otherwise black world.

That was the goal he'd been trying to reach for the last few minutes or so, just aimlessly walking towards the gate that he assumed – hoped – would take him to where he needed to be, some unknown world with an unknown woman who wished to meet him and could potentially answer all of the questions he had.

What would he want to ask though? He wanted to learn more about everything else that existed, of that he was sure, his curiosity had long since been peaked. Another big question would be why the hell she wanted to meet _him_ of all people, asides from being a freak of nature who was born a mix of Shinigami, Hollow, and Quincy, there wasn't really anything too special about him.

But, he supposed such question would be answered when they met, for now, he had some walking to do.

Upon finally reaching his destination he studied it briefly, sure it didn't seem dangerous at first glance but Urahara was involved in this and that always meant risks. Tentatively he rose his hand and stretched out his index finger lightly touching the flat golden doorway causing a small rippling effect to roll out from the point of contact. He waited for the surface to calm once more before reaching out again, this time becoming more daring and pushing his hand and arm through the golden surface up till his elbow, letting a couple seconds pass once more he retracted his arm and further scrutinized the gate.

' _Well even if there is a danger on the other side it'll still beat standing around in this creepy place any longer._ ' With his decision made he sighed and stepped forwards, his body passing through the gate into the unknown.

He quickly became alerted to the fact that the marble bridge he stood on while beautiful in design was floating over nothingness, as too was the immensely large mass of land laid out before him, no matter how much he concentrated he couldn't see how far it stretched in either direction.

Glancing back ahead he could see mountains off in the distance, rolling hills and lush forests that blocked out most of the scenery from his sight. One plus from his scouting so far was a set of houses he'd spotted just peaking through the trees a tad bit northwest from the bridge, hopefully, there would be someone there that could give him a bit of information concerning where he was and more importantly who he was supposed to be meeting.

It took him a little longer than expected to reach his destination although his less than brisk pace could be to blame for that. It was hard to rush through this place where there was so much beauty for him to look at. It was so peaceful here, it reminded him a lot of the Soul Society and the times when Rukia and himself would go out exploring the forests of Rukongai. The temperature here was perfect, it along with the slight breeze brushing across his skin was comforting and really set his soul at ease. The sounds of birds chirping echoed through the forests and every once in a while he would catch a glimpse of an animal darting by or eyeing him from the shadows, oddly enough they were usually foxes he saw.

Upon finally arriving at the village he noted that it was quite large in size with many people each going about their daily lives, some of them spared him a small glance and others outright stared though he couldn't blame them, his orange hair, white, v-neck shirt and black jeans were a far cry from their Yukata's and more traditional Kimono. One glaring fact that he noticed about all the people before him be they man or woman, adult or child, one trait that they all seemed to share with each other were the two fluffy fox ears on their heads and a tail to match.

"Welcome to Takama-ga-hara, Shiba-sama, we have been expecting you." A small voice spoke up from beside him, startling him slightly. The voice came from a relatively short girl with shoulder length brown hair, green eyes, and a light dusting of pink on her cheeks. She wore a white Yukata with pink cherry blossoms and petals dotted all over it which was secured at her waist by a red Obi. After studying her for a moment he noticed that much like everyone else he'd seen so far she too had a pair of ears atop her head and a tail swaying softly behind her.

It was then that he actually realized what the girl had said, "Wait, Takama-ga-hara?" she nodded, "As in the high plains of Heaven and the home of the Shinto Trinity?" Seeing her nod once more he could only look dumbly out over the land as the realization of his current situation hit him, "I thought this was all a myth..." he breathed out a few seconds later, voice barely above a whisper.

She nodded again, "It's understandable for you to think as such however I can assure you they are very real, as are most other things you would likely consider to be myths." After watching him survey the land for a short while longer she spoke up again not having any more time to spare. "I apologize for rushing you Shiba-sama but I was sent here to escort you to your meeting with Lady Amaterasu and while you were granted some leeway I don't think we should keep her waiting for too long."

There was a short pause before his composure slipped and his voice rang out, "I'm here to meet the Goddess of the Sun?!" He shouted, rounding on the short girl with wide eyes. He couldn't believe it, Urahara couldn't have given him a small hint or something? He understood why the man couldn't go around using that name freely but come on, not even a heads up that he was meeting someone really important? "Oi, and whats with this Shiba-sama nonsense? I'm not a noble so just Ichigo is fine."

"Unacceptable, Shiba-sama. Shiba-sama is the son of Isshin Shiba and the rightful heir to the Shiba Clan which holds an elite spot even among the other five great noble houses of the Soul Society, I must address Shiba-sama with all of the respect that Shiba-sama deserves." She finished turning away from him and facing down one of the paths which led away from the village and deeper into the planes of Takama-ga-hara.

Ichigo's eyebrow was twitching rapidly as his annoyance peaked, only further being stirred by the fact that he was damn sure he'd seen a smirk on the corner of her lips as she turned away, "Tch, whatever," he grunted out with a small pout, "What's your name then?"

"Its Ayame, Shiba-sama," she replied still facing away from him no doubt still hiding her little grin. After briefly listening to him mumble curses to himself she stepped forwards and started down the pathway into the forests knowing that the tall teenager would be following shortly behind her.

Neither spoke as they walked as both were comfortable with the silence around them, he could see her stealing glances at him occasionally but it didn't really bother him. His mind was far too preoccupied with inspecting the lands around them, no matter how much he saw of it he couldn't get over the sheer beauty of this place. Eventually, they did reach something which drew his attention away from the landscape around him, an incredible multi-storied shrine of sharp brown's, vibrant reds and gold which shone as bright as the sun decorating it.

"That is the shrine of the Shinto Trinity Shiba-sama. Amaterasu the Goddess of the Sun, Tsukuyomi the God of the Moon, and Susanoo the God of the Sea and Storms," she informed, noticing the former Shinigami's awe-filled and curious stare.

Ichigo hummed in acknowledgement of her words but kept his gaze on the elegant building, "Is that where we're going then?"

Ayame's hair swayed softly as she shook her head in the negative, "No, we are currently headed towards Lady Amaterasu's manor." In the corner of her eye, she noticed Ichigo's own eyes briefly widen before setting themselves back to normal though that was all the reaction he gave, instead choosing to continue their walk in silence.

It took another twenty or so moments after reaching and passing the shrine for them to reach their final destination, the home of the Goddess of the Sun. The young man assumed that they must've had another more efficient way of travel than walking around everywhere as this was quite the distance to travel, perhaps they had something similar to Shunpo? Or hell, maybe they could just outright teleport themselves, he wouldn't be at all surprised anymore if it was possible now that the existence of Gods had been confirmed.

As for the manor itself? It was as ridiculously big as one would expect from the Goddess of the Sun. He wouldn't tell the man in person but truthfully Byakuya's house wasn't looking so grand anymore.

"This is the home of our Lady, please follow me inside," she piped up beside him before stepping through the gates.

It was a beautiful property, as they walked along the porch he could see neatly trimmed hedges lining each of the pathways which weaved through her vast courtyard and gardens. There were three ponds he could see from his vantage point, the one in the centre of her garden is much larger than the other two, the surface of its water decorated with fallen petals from the cherry blossom tree which stood proudly over it.

When the garden vanished from sight now being hidden by the inner walls of the home he shifted his attention back forwards and paid attention to the rout he was taking through the winding halls of this place. It didn't take long for him to really start appreciating having Ayame as his guide. Without his powers and furthermore his ability to sense reiatsu he would get completely lost in here without her as everything around him looked exactly the same. He was pleased to finally see some variation when they came upon two large sliding doors, one guard perched on each side of the entrance way.

It was odd, during his whole walk through the manor he hadn't seen any other guards stationed like these two, hell not even the entrance to the grounds had any stationed guards. So it was weird that there were some here yet nowhere else, perhaps because the Goddess of the Sun was just on the other side of those two thin doors? Then again, if he had to take a guess at anyone who could protect themselves it would be a God, so perhaps this was just a formality, or maybe there was something deeper to it, a hidden purpose? He couldn't say.

"She is just beyond these doors Ichigo-sama, head in when you are ready."

"ah, thank you Ayame," he nodded giving her a genuine smile at the use of his actual name, sure she kept the honorific but at the very least it was better than Shiba-sama.

With a smile of her own and a slight bow, she turned on her heal and started back down the hallway which they came. Turning back towards the doors he slowly started to slide them open, carefully peaking inside the room with every new inch that was exposed to him, honestly, he was really nervous. The room was fairly large with polished wooden floors, white walls and a small ground level throne which reminded him a lot of Kukaku sat against the far wall partially hidden by a low wooden table with cushions laid out around it.

The most shocking things about the room, however, was the woman inside of it, she was beautiful, _divine_ , and for the first time in his life, he'd found his breath had been taken away. Long strands of ebony hair fell down her back contrasting beautifully with her porcelain skin, thin pink lips were set into a warm and alluring smile and long eyelashes framed her vibrant golden eyes which looked as if they were burning with the fire of the sun itself. She was dressed in a red kimono decorated with golden suns which hugged her generous figure, it had long sleeves that covered her hands and was held together with a yellowish golden Obi that reminded him of his own Hollow eyes.

He quickly noted that he was staring at her, much to his embarrassment and her amusement he could feel his cheeks heating up quite quickly the longer he gazed at her, and soon enough he found it hard to meet her gaze any longer.

"You need not be embarrassed Ichigo-kun," she spoke in a melodic tone sending shivers down the teen's spine and soothing his nerves.

Lightly he cleared his throat before bowing slightly and greeting the woman before him, "Hello Lady Amaterasu, it's a pleasure to meet you." Mentally he patted himself on the back, his voice was steady and it came out cleanly however when he noticed a slight frown cross her face he wondered if he had actually messed something up.

"While it's nice to finally see you learning some manners I can't help but think that being polite really doesn't suit you Ichigo-kun, so please be at ease around me." Her tone was teasing and her smile playful which showed that her words weren't meant in a negative way, no, in truth she found his brash and abrasive manors while in the company of 'superiors' to be quite charming.

Outwardly he showed surprise, everyone always told him to be more polite and now that he meets the _Goddess of the Sun_ and actually is, she tells him not to be anymore, though inwardly he was thankful. He hated kissing ass, even if he respected someone he would never beg for something. "Well if you're sure.." he replied finally, taking her words to heart and sitting down on the cushion across from her.

Her warm smile from earlier came back which made him happy, he couldn't understand why but he had an unnatural desire to make this woman before him smile, to make her proud of him, it was odd.

For the first couple of moments both of them just sat there gazing at each other, both content with trying to read into the others thoughts, though after enough time passed Amaterasu spoke first and took a more direct approach. "What is on your mind Ichigo? What are you thinking.."

It was a simple answer, "I'm wondering why the Goddess of the Sun wanted to meet _me_ of all people."

"Straight to the point, very well," she nodded in acceptance. I have watched over you since you were born, I knew from the very beginning that you would be special and no, not because of your heritage either. I knew that someday you would become an incredible man who would inspire all others around him and I was right." The genuinity in her tone brought a flush to his cheeks, the young teen couldn't help the reaction he was having, it felt as if he was being praised by his very own mother.

"Then how do Urahara-san and my Oyaji know you then? It was pretty obvious with how they spoke about it that not many people know you exist, not to mention everything else out there as well."

"On the night your mother passed away you were supposed to die with her," she began bluntly causing Ichigo to stiffen in shock. "However I could not let such a thing happen and thus I left Takama-ga-hara and entered the mortal plain, an action which a God is forbidden from doing all for the purpose of saving your life, it was then that I met your father.

As for your shopkeeper friend, he has quite the habit of sticking his nose into places where it doesn't belong. But, I supposed it's to be expected for a scientist of his calibre, the man is far too smart for his own good."

As she finished giving her reply her voice held a slight tone of annoyance whilst speaking of Urahara, something which Ichigo would have found quite amusing had he not just been told that without this woman he would currently be dead. How was he supposed to react? How could he ever repay her? What could a powerless former Shinigami do for the Goddess of the Sun?

"Thank you. I don't know if I'll ever be able to repay you for saving me," he spoke truthfully, Ichigo wasn't one for theatrics nor was he the type to throw around thank you's and praises without reason so he just hoped she could tell the genuine gratitude he had.

She merely scoffed and wove her arm in a dismissive manner, "Don't be silly Ichigo-kun, you have already repaid me by growing up to be such a strong and kind-hearted young man, and lets not forget the many times you have already fought with your life on the line to protect the Soul Society and the human world. I would never demand anything of you, and in truth, it is I who owes you for all that you have done."

The young teen merely nodded his head in response, he understood that nothing he could say would be able to change her mind and so, for now, he would just let it go, besides there was something on his mind that he really wished to ask about. "I understand now that there is far more to the world than Shinigami, Hollow, and Quincy, but how is it that so few know this fact? Surely the different races would bump into each other eventually, right?

"Good question, and one that would be true under normal circumstances however your world is merely a fake created with the likeness of the true earth to hide the balancer's of souls from those who would disrupt their work. It is an alternate version existing in parallel to the true world.

Even if you were aware of the existence of other supernatural races without the correct knowledge on how to cross the threshold it will do you little good as you would never be able to find them. More so, unless you are a divine being you much have my blessing to be able to step through the barrier.

"A fake?!" He couldn't believe what he was hearing, to hear the world that he grew up in, had friends and family in was nothing more than a fake created with a likeness to the original was a little unsettling if he was honest. "How is that even possible?"

"This is a world of _Gods_ , Ichigo, I am the Goddess of the Sun and with my two brothers Tsukuyomi and Susanoo we complete the Trinity, something like creating a new dimension is a simple task for us in that state."

He held an incredulous look on his face, creating a dimension was a simple task? It really put into perspective how small he actually was, even at the height of his power, the Final Getsuga Tenshou, how insignificant would he be against this woman before him? He really didn't want to find out.

Letting his mind fall back to the task at hand he proposed another question which had been pecking at his mind, "I get the importance of balance and all but isn't that a bit excessive? Creating a whole new dimension just to hide the Shinigami, surely they can defend themselves? Isn't Jii-san supposed to be the strongest Shinigami alive?" Even as he said this he couldn't help but doubt his own words as memories came flooding into his mind showing all the times that the Shinigami _couldn't_ protect themselves and he had to step in and do so for them.

He was wrought from his memories by Amaterasu's melodic laughter, "Yes, 'gramps' as you call him is indeed powerful, frighteningly so, there is only one Shinigami who could hope to defeat him and that is merely due to his Zanpakuto's abilities and not his power itself, that isn't to say he is weak but in terms of raw power Shigekuni is.. something that common sense can't really explain."

Shaking her head lightly she regained her original train of thought, "The problem Ichigo-kun, lies not with the Shinigami's strength and ability to protect themselves but instead with everything else which exists in the true world. There are many others who would like to accomplish what Sosuke Aizen could not."

Ichigo grimaced at the thought, ' _I'd rather not have to see another Aizen so soon._ '

"Have you never wondered why the Shinigami and Hollow go unseen by human eyes yet the Quincy who also possess spiritual powers of their own are able to live as regular mortals in the human realm, seen by all? It's because they were never meant to co-exist with the Shinigami and Hollow, they originate from the true world, but their King and the first Quincy coveted the throne of the Soul King and thus found a way to cross over.

T'was nearly a thousand years ago now that the Quincy armies marched onto the planes of the Soul Society, as you can guess they lost but it was far too close a battle for my liking. If the Shinigami did not have Shigekuni leading them, they would have most definitely lost that war."

"But how did he cross over? You said that one needed to either be divine or blessed by you to do so."

The Goddess of the Sun's mouth twisted downwards in distaste as she mulled over his question, "The Quincy King, a man known as Yhwach, is a unique exception to the rule due to his nature and circumstances for being born. To say he is the Soul King's son wouldn't quite be right as they were originally one in the same being.

The Soul King _was_ a God, an immensely powerful one too due to the ability he possessed. Precognition, by itself it is a frightening ability however his was twisted, not only could he see the future but he could immediately understand anything seen in the visions as well, and that isn't all.

Imagine that all of the different flows of time are grains of sand, each one possessing an alternate reality to our own, his power, Ichigo, is to simultaneously see each of those grains of sand and 'jump' to them, changing our current timeline as he wishes, such as instantly destroying a Shinigami's Bankai or infinitely erasing his own death from ever happening.

The former Shinigami was overwhelmed by what he'd just heard. Amaterasu had just said this was a world of Gods and that making dimensions was a simple task, but to hear that such a broken ability existed was hard to grasp. He just couldn't imagine it, releasing his Bankai during a fight and then having the blade suddenly snap in two? It was a ridiculous notion.

After giving Ichigo a couple moments to sort his thoughts the Goddess of the Sun continued from where she left off, "The Soul King fully understood the magnitude of his power and he understood how dangerous it would be if it continued to exist, thus he split himself along with his power and created Yhwach. Both of them possess the ability to see the future and understand everything within it however now neither can change it to suit their needs.

Yhwach, of course, deemed this as unacceptable and immediately set out to reabsorb his father and regain their true power this time with him controlling it. Immediately I recognized the danger that would come if such a thing were to be allowed and so I reached out to the Soul King and offered him the position of regulator for the souls. If he were to accept, he would be safe from his son in another dimension with an army of Shinigami to protect him should Yhwach somehow find his way into the Soul Society."

"I'm guessing that the Shinigami don't know that part of the story?"

"Of course not," she replied with a shake of her head. "Sometimes it's best if you don't give all the details, instead tell them simply that there is something they must protect no matter the cost."

A couple of moments passed in silence before a light sigh escaped the teen. "Y'know, this is a lot to take in, putting aside the fact that I'm in Takama-ga-hara talking with one of the Shinto Trinity with the knowledge that Dragons, Angels, Fallen Angels, Devils, Kitsune and who knows what else exists out there, now I learn that the history between the Shinigami and Quincy go far deeper than I could ever imagine. It's just a lot to take in," He breathed out, tone relaxed and somewhat distant.

He wasn't complaining about all this knowledge being pushed onto him, in fact, he was happy as he had a thirst for knowledge but it was quite simply a lot to take in. These weren't small secrets you shared with a friend in elementary school, these were world-shaking revelations.

That was something that had always pissed him off, everyone just treated him as a naive and dumb child who couldn't understand complicated situations and topics, so they would always unnecessarily dumb down explanations for him. That was one of the reasons he loved spending so much time with his two mentors, they were two of the few people who actually realized his true intelligence and would hold meaningful conversations with him.

It was for that same reason that whenever he went to the Soul Society he would have tea with Kyoraku-san and usually Ukitake-san as well since the two were together so much. Even though he put up such a lazy and uncaring front the man who hid his eyes behind that straw hat was anything but, he was scarily perceptive, analytical, and had seen right through Ichigo the first time they met.

He had been present during one of the Captains meetings after the whole incident with Amagai and the Bakkoto and like usual they were talking to him as if he was a child who couldn't understand what the grownups were saying. Kyoraku had been very quiet the whole time and in truth, Ichigo had forgotten he was even there which was surprising since he wore such an outlandish pink kimono. Though that was one of the things which made him so scary, the ability to seamlessly blend into any situation and analyze everything before acting.

At one point during the meeting, Ichigo's eyes had caught those of Kyoraku's peeking from under the brim of his Sakkat and he'd be lying if he said it didn't put him on guard. In the end it seemed he worried for nothing for after the meeting finished the man approached him with a warm smile and asked if he would like to head back to the Eighth Division for some tea.. well it was actually sake that was offered, but, after much convincing to the man that he was a minor and unable to drink they settled on tea.

So once sat out on a porch at the Eighth Division Barracks with tea and sake in hand he spoke up very bluntly and asked, ' _Why do you hide your intelligence from everyone?_ ' It had originally caught him off guard, to say the least, but in the end that was the start of a great friendship.

Pulling himself from his memories he made the shocking discovery that for the past few moments he had been completely ignoring the _Goddess of the Sun_ and judging by the smirk on her face and the twinkle of mischief in her eyes she knew it as well, though thankfully she didn't seem bothered by the fact. "Sorry, I was lost in thought," he mumbled out sheepishly.

"No need for apologies Ichigo-kun, as you said this is a lot to take in."

With a nod of his head, he made the decision that since he'd already been given so much to think of today he might as well just finish it off and ask her the question he'd been holding in since Kisuke told him the things in his dreams were real. "I'd be lying if I said I wasn't curious so could you tell me more about.. well everything?"

"I don't mind however it would take much too long to _tell_ you, so instead how about I _show_ you."

Any confusion which may have stemmed from her statement was quickly blown away when she lifted her arm over the table between them allowing the sleeve of her Kimono to fall back and reveal her dainty hand, pushing down any feelings of embarrassment he reached his own larger, more calloused hand across and grasped hers lightly within his own. ' _I really am a prude,_ ' he grumbled inwardly as a blush began warming his cheeks, thankfully before it could get too far his mind went blank and images along with information began assaulting his brain.

The Shinto Trinity of Amaterasu, Tsukuyomi, and Susanoo as well as the Kitsune who call Takama-ga-hara home. The Allfather of the Norse Odin and his two son's Thor and Loki. Sun Wukong the Victorious Fighting Buddha and first Monkey King. The Hindu Trimurti of Shiva, Vishnu, and Brahma. Lugh, the Celtic God of War and Aten, the Egyptians own Sun God.

It was frightening to learn that Trihexa, the beast recorded in the book of the apocalypse was real, that discovery led to the Dragon's starting first and foremost with Great Red who much like Trihexa was the Dragon recorded in the book of the apocalypse, a being with complete authority over the dream, the both of them so powerful that if they were to fight everything in this universe would be destroyed.

Only slightly below them was the Infinite Dragon God, Ophis, who much like the other two could end everything on but the slightest of whims.

Next, you have the twin Heavenly Dragons Ddraig and Albion as well as the six Dragon Kings which became five when Tannin the Blaze Meteor Dragon became a Devil for reasons unknown. If that wasn't enough Dragon's for you there are also the eight evil Dragons though some of them aren't alive anymore. Crom Crauch through vigorous training was able to reach and surpass the original strength of a Heavenly Dragon and Apophis and Azi Dahaka weren't too far behind from him.

This was all frightening information to someone like Ichigo who for the majority of his time as a Shinigami believed Aizen was the biggest threat he would ever face. Aizen was nothing more than a spec of dust to some of these beings and it took Ichigo literally everything he had just to weaken the man enough for him to be sealed. Yet now he finds out that there are all these people who could make short work of him even after his Dangai training and he didn't even have any of his powers anymore let alone his Dangai form.

Then the really interesting information came, the Great War between the three factions that have each been decimated to an almost irreparable level, the God of the Bible along with the four original Satan's of Hell had each perished in the war. The Devils had a peerage system which allowed them to reincarnate other beings as Devils to re-bolster their numbers but the Angels had up until recently been pretty screwed and because of that had fallen behind in the power race. Now they had the Brave Saint system which was modelled after the Peerage system which allowed them to reincarnate people as Angels, however, their system was much more strict and thus even though they could perform reincarnations it was much harder for them to find worthy people than it was for the Devils.

This was troubling for Ichigo, he had nothing against the Devil's per say as he'd never actually met one but having a balance between the Angels and Devils was something that just seemed really important on a base level and currently there wasn't. The Fallen Angels, while low in number weren't in too dire of a situation as they took in anyone from any race, as such their numbers would replenish easily enough over time.

The Devils's four Satan's were now titles to be earned and not actually inherited through bloodline, two of their current four were also Super Devils which put them on far different levels compared to the rest and while Heaven couldn't replace the God of the Bible they still had their original ten Seraph and four Great Seraph. Out of everything shown to him the thing which interested him the most was the sacred gear system created by the God of the Bible which allowed humans to have a better chance of fighting for themselves and protecting themselves against the other races.

It reminded him a lot of the Zanpakuto considering they each had the possibility of gaining a released state called the 'Balance Breaker.' There were many low tiered ones, however, there were also the 13 Longinus named after the True Longinus, each of these 13 weapons held the potential to kill a God and two of them actually held the souls of the twin Heavenly Dragons.

When the images finally stopped he experienced a brief moment of excruciating pain throughout his head, though it was to be expected considering all the information he just had forced into his brain in an instant. So deep in thought he was that he didn't even notice the curious smirk Amaterasu was sending his way, when he did notice and was about to ask what was so funny she simply glanced at their still joined hands which had remained as such even though the flood of information had stopped a good couple minutes ago.

He quickly retracted it after that and refused to meet the gaze of the woman before him due to his embarrassment, though it lessened slightly when the sound of her laughter reached his ears.

"My, my! You really are a prude, Ichigo-kun," she teased, though inwardly she was smiling. She knew he wasn't really a prude, he was just a good man who respected woman completely, there weren't many true gentlemen around like him anymore and so it just solidified it all the more that she made the right decision when she saved him all those years ago.

* * *

When he left the room Ayame was already there waiting for him and thankfully still calling him Ichigo even if there was that annoying suffix at the end, though he'd pretty much figured she was only doing it to bug him. As she had earlier she was stealing glances in his direction as they walked, a darker shade of pink tinged her cheeks the further along they got. It would be a lie if Ichigo said he didn't know what was up, he'd been told many times by many women be they human or Shinigami that he was attractive. And, despite what they all thought he wasn't actually dense, he merely played the part to avoid romantic situations. It wasn't that he was scared of romance he just didn't particularly have an interest in it, he was always too busy.

After winding his way throughout more hallways than seemed conventional they reached the dining room where he quickly noticed the gargantuan amounts of food that were stacked on the long table before him, one chair at the end was already slightly pulled out with a waiter behind it obviously waiting for Ichigo to take his seat. As soon as the smell hit his nose he couldn't help but dig in, he tried to be humble and hold manners but the more he ate the hungrier he got and the faster he felt the need to scarf the food down, he couldn't control himself.

By the time he was finished he'd eaten enough to make himself explode a few times over and honestly he was quite embarrassed with himself. None of the staff around him so much as batted an eye so maybe it was normal in this part of the supernatural to eat so much? He didn't know but he was definitely thankful for their lack of reaction.

After the incredible meal, Ayame was once more there to escort him, though this time it was to the baths and he could tell right away that something was up. Ayame had told him since it was his first time here he needed to follow a special custom which let's be honest was a total load of crap, however, he didn't sense any hostilities from her nor anyone else and thus decided to play along.

First, she got him to soak for about an hour in a relatively normal looking bath, the water was oddly white but with all the steam rising from the surface he passed it off as maybe a trick of his eyes, the second bath she asked him to enter was when he really became guarded. It was hot, the kind of hot that made you wonder if your skin was going to melt away before your eyes yet it didn't hurt, in fact, it felt incredible. No, the reason this spring gave him pause was the fact its waters were blood red. As with the first he was required to spend an hour soaking in the waters though for what reason he couldn't say, any attempts at questioning Ayame were swiftly deflected and he quickly gave up due to a realization that he wouldn't get anything from the girl.

When he was finally finished and had been escorted to his room the first thing he noticed was how good he felt. It was like his body had been completely reborn. It was a shame it was so late as the headache he'd received from the information transfer was nearly gone after those relaxing baths, but as he lay his head down on the pillow in his futon he realized just how tired he actually was. It was odd, there were many times when he gone through nights only getting a couple hours of sleep at most due to his Shinigami duties or catching up on his backed up homework yet right now it felt like he hadn't slept in years, no matter how hard he fought it his eyes drifted shut and he fell into a peaceful sleep.

* * *

When he awoke he was in the tattered remains of a city, most of its buildings had fallen apart or were close to it, the rubble having long since filled the cracked streets below. It looked like this place had been abandoned for so long that if mother nature could have reclaimed it she would have, however, everything was scorched black, embers still illuminating the surface below him releasing the bitter scent of smoke and ash into the air.

Landing on the scorched earth below with a soft crunch he began walking forwards. It was hot in this strange world, excruciatingly so, with every step he took it felt like he could combust any second. An odd sense of nostalgia had taken hold of him, everything there seemed so familiar yet he couldn't put his finger on why. Perhaps if it wasn't all destroyed he would be able to recognize it but alas that possibility was long gone. It also wasn't helping that he'd been too on edge to really concentrate, ever since coming here – wherever here was – he'd felt an odd sense of danger surrounding him, it wasn't directed at him per say and no killing intent accompanied the sense he was getting but it didn't stop him from being any less on edge.

It was only when he spotted a familiar ruined building in front of him and a partially charred sign reading ' _Kurosaki Clinic_ ' did realization dawn on him. Not wasting any time he busted into a sprint, reaching what was left of the front of the house and gazing into the charred remnants of his living room.

He was shocked further still when a scene began playing before his eyes. Karin was watching her Saturday morning cartoons and Yuzu was bustling around in the kitchen preparing breakfast, he couldn't hear anything they were saying even though he could see their mouths moving. A second later Yuzu spun on her foot and shouted something towards the door which led to their family clinic and no more than a breath later his idiot of a father came bursting through that same door, a large, goofy smile on his face.

He couldn't help his own smile which slowly made itself known as he watched the scene unfold though something was off, he still didn't know where exactly he was nor why Karakura Town had been completely destroyed upon his arrival when now everything looked to be back to normal.

His body tensed when from the corner of his eye he noticed a dark humanoid shape with glowing veins in the reflection of the window behind him, without hesitating he spun on his heel only to widen his eyes when nothing was actually there. Taking a brief moment to scan the surroundings and finding nothing out of the ordinary he was forced to pass it off as a trick of his imagination, though when he made to turn back towards the building which he called home a shock wave lifted him off his feet and sent him screaming through the air as the Kurosaki Clinic exploded in flames.

The air had been knocked from his lungs, he had minor scrapes and burns all over his body, his eyes refused to focus and there was a terrible ringing in his ears but he didn't care, he had to get up, to get back to his home and see if his sisters and father were alright.

Stumbling around it took him a couple tries to actually regain some semblance of balance but when he did he hobbled over to the burning wreck that lay before him, to steady him further he reached out and grasped onto one of the broken sections of walls, an action he immediately regretted. As soon as he made contact three anguish filled screams tore through the air around him and he was made to stand frozen and watch as flames consumed his family.

With tears running down his cheeks and an agony filled scream of his own as he watched the skin melt from his sister's bones finally his mind gave out and his world went black.

* * *

~ A/N:

 **So there's the end of Chapter 1! I hope you all enjoyed.**

 **If you have any thoughts on the chapter than feel free to leave a review, I'm always looking to improve my writing and so constructive feedback is appreciated. If you have any questions then feel free to message me, I always reply when I can.**

 **\- Vertius**


	2. Chapter 2

**Hey everyone! Vertius here and I just have to say wow. The amount of support I received from the first chapter so far has been astounding, it really means a lot to know that so many people are interested in my story and interested in seeing where it can go. I hope that I can continue to improve my writing as I go and put out better and better chapters for you all to enjoy. Anyways that's all, enjoy chapter 2!**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own Bleach, Highschool DXD, nor any of their respective characters.**

* * *

Guardian of the Dead

\- Chapter 2 -

~ Takama-ga-hara

Ichigo awoke with a start the next morning, immediately he noticed that while his nightmare didn't last long before he blacked out into a dreamless sleep the anger he'd felt during it had followed him all the way through. His fists were tightly balled up and his fingernails were close to piercing the skin of his palms, he also noted with some distaste that he had persparated quite a lot during the night if the way his sleeping ware stuck to his skin was any indication. He would definitely need a shower to start the day but for now, that could wait as he had more pressing matters to attend to right now.

Swiftly he stood and strode over to the sliding door which connected his room to the gardens, quietly he stepped out and sat on the edge of the porch, easily slipping out of the top half of his uniform as to allow the cool morning breeze to brush over his skin. So lost in thought he was that he failed to notice the effect he was having on every female servant which passed by, each giving him a long and appraising look. For beings of the supernatural as they were the young mans many scars which covered his torso, chest, shoulders, and back were not seen as unsightly, instead they added to his appeal, they were a sign of his strength, the proof of the many battles which he had faced and survived since he'd entered the supernatural world.

Unaware of the world around him instead his thoughts were completely focused on that world he was in, that broken, decayed, and charred version of Karakura Town that he couldn't explain. It felt far too real to be a dream, he could feel the heat from the embers on his skin, the thin layer of soot and dust which coated everything around him, he could taste the bitterness of the lingering smoke which shifted around like ghosts throughout the air, he could smell that sweet earthy scent even as it burned his lungs. The screams of his family pierced him to the very core, the all-encompassing terror, and rage which consumed his heart as he was forced to wait through it still lingered deep within him like a monster crawling below the surface, waiting for its chance to shatter that which held it back and break free.

Bringing a clawed hand to his face his warm, golden-brown eyes twisted darkly as the ghostly feeling of his mask rested on his skin. He hated the feeling's that dream forced to surface within himself, it reminded him all too much of his interactions with Hell, when the sinners broke free and attempted to kidnap both of his sisters, succeeding in taking Yuzu and dragging her down into the bowels of damnation. That feeling of helplessness when he saw the chain growing from her chest and knowing that she was close to being lost to Hell forever. That murky haze as his consciousness and sanity began to fade away, the all-encompassing madness and hate, the desire to slaughter the man before him for damning his sister for all eternity.

He hated it.

Arm falling limply back down to his side he gave his head a light shake, his bangs swaying softly before his eyes. It wouldn't do well to remember such things right now, they were both fine and that time was over, he needed to get his thoughts back on track, back on the world he was in. If he was completely honest with himself if felt like an inner world, his inner world, slightly different yet his none the less.

Truthfully he'd already experienced something like this once before back when he was training to learn the final Getsuga Tenshou. Upon entering his inner world in the Dangai the endless expanse of blue skyscrapers was not the sight he was met with, instead, it was a replica of Karakura Town which had been submerged in water. Zangetsu told him that the reason it looked as such was that he'd lost sight of the path before him, he had been so blinded by his fear of Aizen's power and the madman's goal of sacrificing his home to make the Oken that his inner world had begun to reflect it. The skyscrapers which signified his vast power and potential had vanished and the rain which signified his despair had fallen so heavily that his entire soul had been submerged, he had become stagnant.

This occasion was similar to that yet so different at the same time. There were no threats to his hometown or the people in it that he was aware of so why would his inner world hold that form, and more so why was he able to enter it in the first place. He had no power right now, Zangetsu was locked away or simply destroyed altogether and the same could be said for his inner world itself, the final Getsuga Tenshou damaged his soul to the point where he may never regain his reiryoku again, so why then did he have that dream?

There were too many unknowns right now, too many questions that he just couldn't answer himself, perhaps he could speak to Amaterasu about it later. If anyone could give some insight on the situation it would likely be her.

Slipping the top half of his uniform back on his head tilted slightly as the soft padding of footsteps drew closer to him from behind, stopping only a couple feet away. Turning the upper half of his body to see who had come he was met with a pink-faced Ayame who seemed more than content with not making eye contact. It was at that moment when he'd realized what he had actually done and a quick glance around at the other female servants in the vicinity gave him all the confirmation that he needed. A small blush of his own rose to his cheeks as he finally addressed the girl behind him, "uh, morning Ayame.."

Quickly she steeled her emotions, she was on duty right now and it would do to get it trouble over such an embarrassing matter. "Good morning, Ichigo-sama, I hope that your sleep was good?" she asked, not missing the brief flash of darkness that swept through his eyes nor the brief tightening of his muscles at the reminder of that night's rest. Clearly, it hadn't been so pleasant for the young man, however, she wouldn't pry, she had no business doing so.

"Mm, it was good," he nodded, "Thanks for asking." His voice was smooth as he spoke, he wasn't sure if Ayame believed him or not but there wasn't really much he could do about it.

"I'm pleased to hear it, I've come to inform you that the baths have been prepared for your use, afterwards I will take you to the main dining hall where your breakfast will be waiting."

' _Oi oi, I'm getting treated like freakin' royalty over here.._ ' he honestly felt a little uncomfortable with it all. It wasn't that he didn't appreciate the effort, Amaterasu obviously wanted him to be as comfortable as possible and Ayame was doing her very best for him which he appreciated but he'd never been much for formalities or luxurious living so this was just a little much for him handle so suddenly. But he couldn't just say no, she was doing her best and he didn't wish to cause the girl any problems. "I see, well let's go then," nodding silently at his words Ayame turned on the spot and began walking down the hall, Ichigo only a couple steps behind her.

The walk was lead in comfortable silence and once again Ichigo was reminded of just how peaceful Takama-ga-hara was, this was what the Soul Society should be like for all the souls who passed on, not those lawless districts in which people are forced to live every day in fear. The Soul Society was an evil place, even the Seireitei was unbelievably evil at its core, however, something Ichigo was forced to realize early on was that they were a necessary evil.

One consolation in it all was that the Shinigami were finally starting to change, it was a slow change but better than not at all. The main problem in the situation was that just because the Shinigami were willing to finally move on with the times that didn't mean their damn government would be too, it would take a lot more than a stern dressing down to get those fools to see reason. Ichigo merely worried about how drastic a situation it would take for them to finally understand that their current system no longer worked, he could only hope that they opened their eyes before it was too late, even if he knew that hope was small.

Stopping outside of a large doorway which clearly led to a bathhouse the former Shinigami was pleased to note that it was a different one than he'd used the night before. After washing himself thoroughly he ventured further inside to where the spring was located and sunk himself down inside for a relaxing soak to calm his nerves from that night's dreams. He was relieved to see that those red and white springs he was forced to use yesterday were nowhere to be seen, well while they looked odd he couldn't deny how good they felt, he wouldn't admit it out loud but being in this regular spring now was honestly a little disappointing.

It didn't have the same heat which he could feel to the depths of his soul, this water now felt lukewarm at best even though he could clearly see the steam billowing out from its surface. This would have to do though and so after a fifteen-minute soak he stepped out, dried off, and was pleased to see his human clothing cleaned and folded neatly waiting for him.

As always Ayame was stood outside waiting for him, he wasn't sure if she'd simply waited there the whole time or just had impeccable timing however he wasn't going to ask. Now as they headed side by side towards the dining hall it was her who broke the silence this time but unfortunately with bad news.

"Ichigo-sama, Lady Amaterasu has asked me to apologize on her behalf and tell you that something has come up which requires her immediate attention, as such she will be unable to meet with you until later this evening at the earliest. She also asked me to inform you that you are free to roam around as you wish until then and if you need anything just ask one of the many servants around her manor."

With a crestfallen expression, his posture fell slightly slack at the disappointing news. He had been very much looking forward to continuing their conversation from yesterday especially now that he'd hoped for her guidance on the past night's terrors as well. It was disappointing that he would have to wait until tonight at the earliest but this was a new place for him, he was sure he could find something to occupy his time until then. At that moment an image of a large cherry blossom tree fluttered through his mind. If he remembered correctly there was a small stone bench that sat under it which would be an incredible place to collect his thoughts.

"That's fine then, there was somewhere I wanted to check out anyways," he replied with a smile hoping to put the girl beside him at ease, she could obviously tell the news had disappointed him but he was fine now and he didn't want her to worry about him.

She returned his with a smile of her own and nodded as they continued their way towards the dining hall. It didn't actually take much longer for them to reach their destination and so she bid him a farewell, one that he returned and before Ichigo could gather his bearings once more there was a servant at his side ushering him to the table. As he sat down a wide array of staff were loading ridiculous amounts of food onto the table before him and much like the night before he was hit with an unquenchable hunger that took over all of his senses. Much like the previous night's dinner no matter how many servings he ate it wasn't enough, only after the entirety of the table was empty and its contents in his belly did he feel full.

As embarrassing as it was none of them looked at him like what he'd just accomplished was odd, like one man eating enough food for ten people was a normality around here, and who knows, maybe it was? Either way, he wouldn't question it. With a genuine thank you for the amazing meal he set off with a simple wave down the winding halls towards the garden he remembered from the day before, well at least he thought he was, unknown to him he was actually heading in the wrong direction.

After a ten-minute walk of him continually going in circles, he finally gave in and asked one of the passing staff for directions, with a clear path to his goal in mind he spent the remainder of his journey grumbling to himself about overly complicated manors and the lack of maps for guests like himself.

His sour attitude quickly passed when did arrive, this spot was just far too peaceful for him to continue sulking. The temperature was comfortably warm and the shade from the tree coupled with the soft breeze that swept over him every so often made sure he never got too warm. It was blissful, the serenity which echoed throughout every fibre of his being right now was something he wouldn't mind feeling every day, just sitting here watching the fish swim around haphazardly in the pond below, without a care in the world.

' _Without a care in the world.._ ' though appearing calm on the outside that was the complete opposite of how Ichigo felt at that moment, he had way too many thoughts racing around in his mind.

' _What am I doing here? Yes, Urahara-san told me to come so I could get answers to all of my questions, but why really?_ '

' _I understand that Amaterasu saved me when I was younger and thus wished to meet me when I had grown up a little bit, but that can't be all there is to it._ '

' _If that were truly the case then why show me everything that actually exists out there? Why tell me of the deep history between the Shinigami and Quincy? Why tell me about the current tensions between the factions of this world? She could have easily said no._ '

' _I already know why. Urahara-san, my Oyaji, Amaterasu, they each knew that if I heard what was really going on right now, if I knew about the spiritual war that was dangerously close to starting right now that I would want to intervene, that I would want to do anything I could to prevent it. So why tell me when I'm now powerless?_ '

The only explanation that made sense to the young teen was that his powers were returning, a thought that filled him with much trepidation and excitement. It would certainly explain why he'd entered that fake Karakura which felt nearly identical to his inner world. ' _Perhaps they've known it's been happening for a while and by coming here I can have them fully restored? Maybe that's why Oyaji finally told me the truth about him, about Oka-san, about my heritage, so that when my powers are restored I would better understand them making me stronger for the shit storm that's coming._ '

Frustration crinkled his eyes as his thoughts continued. ' _So why couldn't they just come out and say it to me? Instead, they're trying to ease the information on me as my powers return when they know damn well if someone was in danger I'd do everything I could to save them regardless of the circumstances._ '

' _They're acting like the Shinigami, trying to play me for a fool, why can no one ever just be straight with me? It's like they assume I'll turn tail and run if I get wind of a potential threat, so instead they wait and wait until there isn't any time left then throw me in head first without so much as a word._ '

Startled he drew in a sharp breath as a shiver crawled up his spine, his body was stiff as he mentally worked out the odd sensation which just took over him. It felt as if something had called out to him in that instant, only the barest of whispers in the back of his mind. It was so quiet that he couldn't even be sure if he'd actually heard anything in the first place but his instincts were screaming at him to not dismiss this so quickly. His hollow had always told him to trust his instincts more often and so he gave in, he inspected his surroundings a couple times, his head swivelling back and forth as his eyes scanned from high to low but he couldn't see anything that was out of the ordinary.

He was close to dismissing it and going back to his thoughts but something inside of him was urging him to look once more, sighing out and giving one more slow glance to his surroundings it was now that he finally noticed something he hadn't before. It was a shrine, not very large but still generously sized sitting off in the corner out of sight. It was shaded heavily by trees and the grass and bushes surrounding it were not so neatly trimmed as everywhere else, it looked almost like they were letting mother nature claim that building for her own.

Seeing the condition it was it he wasn't so surprised that he'd glanced over it now, it was so inconspicuous that most people wouldn't have even noticed it if they didn't know it was there just like he hadn't. The one thing he was sure of now that he'd noticed the moment his eyes had landed on the building was that whoever or whatever it was that called out to him, they were in that building.

Ichigo wasn't sure if he should actually enter it or not, sure Ayame had told him he was allowed to roam as he pleased but he doubted that meant he was allowed to go snooping inside of every room and building that peaked his curiosity, this _was_ Amaterasu's home after all. Yet he could definitely feel it now, something was pulling him towards that building and before he even knew it he was making soft steps on the pathways which snaked throughout the gardens towards that which called to him.

As he slowly ambled down the path he couldn't help but keep scoping the area around him for people who could be watching, like what he was doing was a major crime and it was imperative that he not be caught. Ichigo scoffed lightly at the thought, ' _I need to stop watching so many crime shows with Karen._ '

He was pleased when he didn't see or hear anyone the whole walk over and to his knowledge had been completely undetected while arriving at the Shine where he now stood, hand lightly grasping the doors handle he gave one last look around before silently stepping inside. Unknown to him someone had been watching, watching and hoping he would find that building and wander inside because now that he had things could move forward.

When he first stepped inside the shrine it was too dark for him to actually see anything, he was just about to crack open the door to let in some natural light when multiple torches lit themselves along the walls casting an ominous glow over the only objects present on the far side of the room. There were to rectangular shaped pedestals side by side, each one holding a Katana on a beautifully carved wooden stand.

Hung on the wall, one behind each sword sat an old and faded painting, the contents of which Ichigo could still clearly see.

The one on the right depicted a large western styled dragon made completely of ice with large wings, thick legs, and a muscular stomach. It had an arching neck with spiked plates running down it's back all the way to the tip of its tail making quite the scary appearance. Its blue eyes seemed to glow and pierce right through the massive blizzard it was surrounded by, making the mountains below it barely visible. As his gaze fell downwards towards the blade itself, his eyes could only widen in shock at what he saw. That light blue hilt, the bronze, four-pointed star-shaped guard, and the deep blue sheath, he knew this blade! ' _Hyorinmaru?! What is Toshiro's Zanpakuto doing here?_ '

This really made him curious now, if the first one was Hyorinmaru than what image would the second painting hold? Would it be another Zanpakuto that he knew? Shifting his gaze over, the first thing he noticed was that it was the complete opposite of the one next to it. Whereas the painting on the right depicted ice, snow, and frigid coldness. This one depicted fire, lava, and blistering heat.

There was one massive volcano which acted as the centrepiece in the frame, molten rock flowing from it creating veins of glowing red down the mountainside into a large pool below. He couldn't see anything which may lay behind the volcano because all was consumed by fire, the only thing he couldn't find in the work was an entity of some kind. The other painting had the large dragon who he assumed to be Hyorinmaru but in this one, he couldn't see anything.

After scanning a little more he gave a light shrug of his shoulders, perhaps since he couldn't see anything then that was how it was meant to be? Again he cast his gaze down, his eyes once more widening in shock at what he saw, only this time it wasn't for the same reason as before. He couldn't recognize this blade, he assumed it must have been a Zanpakuto since it was next to Toshiro's, but what really got him about it was the condition the sword was in.

The hilt which once must have been a beautiful, royal purple was now faded and dirty, the hilt-wrap frayed and unravelled in multiple locations. The bronze, oval-shaped guard was cracked and chipped along the edges, and the once midnight black sheath was now a faded grey and dried out. He couldn't help but feel sombre while he gazed at this sword, he was so focused on the decaying blade that he didn't even notice the doors slide open behind him.

"It's a sad sight, isn't it?" A voice spoke up softly from behind, startling him.

Upon seeing that it was Amaterasu stood in the doorway he settled down, unsure if he was actually supposed to be in here or not, he really wasn't in the mood to get scolded by the Goddess of the Sun. "Uh sorry. I was just curious about this place.." he mumbled out sheepishly, his right hand rubbing the back of his head.

She shook her head and laughed lightly at his reaction, "It's alright Ichigo, this shrine is not off limits to you, although now I suppose you have questions?"

He nodded, turning around once more to face both of the Zanpakuto and giving each of them another appraising look before speaking. "Yeah, why is Toshiro's Zanpakuto here?" He figured he would ask about one at a time, obviously, he was curious about both, especially the one which was in such rough shape so he decided to save that one for last.

"Well, as you know Hyorinmaru is a unique Zanpakuto. In nearly all cases a Zanpakuto is born from the soul of a Shinigami meaning that no two Zanpakuto are ever the same. There are a couple very rare exceptions to this rule, of course, Hyorinmaru while being a Zanpakuto spirit himself is not bound to any one person and chooses his own wielder every time his previous wielder passes away. Unfortunately, such circumstances can also cause issues, I'm sure you remember the incident with Toshiro's friend, Kusaka." Her tone was more solemn as she finished that last thought.

That had been a terrible ordeal born from an even more terrible decision made by the ruling government of the Soul Society. She had been neglecting that particular subject she would admit, always hoping that they would correct themselves over time but it never happened. The laws they created were supposed to be for the benefit of the Soul Society and the citizens of rukongai who came there after death, yet instead, the only ones they helped were the Central 46 and the corrupt noble's backing them.

She would talk with Ichibe soon enough and they could begin discussing a solution to that particular problem, but that was a matter for another time. Throwing her attention back out to the subject at hand she continued her train of thought, "This is where Hyorinmaru's spirit rest's when he is without a partner. As for the blade beside him? Well, let's just say he isn't the only one of his kind under my care."

Ichigo pondered that information for a moment, "So then this sword is currently someone's Zanpakuto? Why does it look so.. neglected?"

"Because it is," she answered with a sigh, "As for its appearance, this is what happens when a Shinigami doesn't use their Zanpakuto for nearly a thousand years, not of their own choice I should add, but this is the sad reality of the situation nonetheless,"

' _A thousand years?!_ ' It seemed unbelievable to him that a Zanpakuto could stay unused for such a long period of time. ' _She said it was someone that didn't neglect it out of choice, so it would have to be someone who hasn't fought all those years,_ ' as he continued thinking about it, Amaterasu's words from the day before came back into his mind.

' _T'was nearly a thousand years ago now that the Quincy armies marched onto the planes of the Soul Society, if the Shinigami did not have Shigekuni leading them they would have most definitely lost that war._ '

"This is Jii-san's Zanpakuto."

Amaterasu hummed in approval, "Yes, this is the oldest and most powerful Zanpakuto, Ryujin Jakka, the only weapon in existence with the potential to release flames hotter than my own. Sadly, in the past thousand years, Shigekuni has only needed to release his Shikai a handful of times. While this is good because it means there had been relative peace, or at least no enemy strong enough that it would call him to the front lines, it is also terrible for Ryujin Jakka who's flames have been left to slowly burn out."

"Flames that could match yours?!" he half-shouted incredulously, ' _Just how powerful really is the old man.._ '

"Yes, as unbelievable as it may be, though not everyone can reach such heights. Ryujin is a lot like the thirteen Longinus in that regard, just because they each hold the potential to kill a God doesn't mean every wielder will be able too." After finishing that thought her eyes quickly gained a mischievous glint, confusing Ichigo, "Although I believe that is why he contacted you last night."

Images of that destroyed and decayed Karakura filtered into his mind at the reminder of the previous nights dream, the gruesome sight of his families flesh melting off their bones, the sickening smell of death that still lingered in his nose, their screams of agony still ringing in his ears, " _That was him?_ " he growled out through clenched teeth, fury coursing through his veins.

Amaterasu gave the teen a pitying look, she knew all too well what Ryujin Jakka was like, she could only imagine the things that were shown to him last night that would elicit such a violent reaction from such a kind-hearted person. "I don't know what he showed you Ichigo, but a Zanpakuto as old and wise as Ryujin Jakka would never do something like that without reason. If you truly wished to know, however, I suppose you would need to ask him yourself," she kept her expression schooled as she said that, unwilling to give anything away just yet.

Ichigo could've gotten whiplash from how quickly he spun around to look at her, was she implying what he thought she was? "How?" he whispered, not expecting the answer he would receive.

"Like this," she spoke simply, summoning a glowing white sword and plunging it into the core of his being.

He didn't even have time to react, he could only stare at her in shock as his vision began to fade. Just before his body collided with the floor and his consciousness completely slipped away he felt the briefest stirring of reiatsu deep within his soul.

"Ayame," the Goddess of the Sun called out after staring at the unconscious teen for a moment.

"Yes, Amaterasu-sama?"

"Please place Ichigo in the Muken. No one can know of this yet, more so, if he were allowed to take this test in Takama-ga-hara it would cause far too much damage."

"As you wish," she answered with a small bow before reaching down to grasp the teen and disappearing in a golden light.

* * *

~ One Week Later, Soul Society, First Division, Office of the Captain Commander

The strongest Shinigami born in the last thousand years sat hunched over in his office chair mulling over the latest report given to him by the stealth force earlier that day. It was a simple report which contents carried much importance. According to the words before him Ichigo Kurosaki was currently missing, last being sighted roughly a week ago heading in the direction of the Urahara Shop.

Yamamoto scoffed lightly, ' _Why am I not surprised that he might have a hand in this?_ '

The rest of the report didn't say much else after that, the usual formalities and what not. They scanned the town for approximately five days after noticing his disappearance, furthermore, they monitored the emotional states of Kisuke Urahara, Yoruichi Shihoin, and his father Isshin 'Kurosaki' Shiba. They were unable to find the boy and his father and two mentors showed no outward signs of distress, going about their daily lives as if nothing had ever changed. After the fifth day, the squad stationed in Karakura deemed further orders would be necessary and thus returned to the Seireitei.

He set the report back down on his desk and stood, slowly making his way over to the railing of his office which overlooked all of the Seireitei. This was one of his favourite spots to be when he had matters on his mind, everything about the situation pertaining the young Kurosaki screamed suspicious to him. The boy was powerless right now and so no Hollow's would target him. Any former enemies that may have wanted to get revenge on him wouldn't have been able to find him no matter how hard they looked, and even if they could somehow manage it Yamamoto would send down the full wrath of the Gotei 13 on them in retaliation, damn what the Central 46 might think.

He was aware that Urahara had placed various barriers around Karakura at the spots in which the young man most frequented just for added measures of safety. Not to mention that the twelfth division would have notified him immediately of any hostile reiatsu signatures in the boy's vicinity so countermeasures could be taken.

In addition, the behaviour of the three former Captains living in Karakura only served to further prove that something was up. No matter how good they were at concealing their true emotions, if something really happened to Ichigo Kurosaki they wouldn't have been able to act so carefree. And in the worst case scenario, that being his death, they would've had to tell the Soul Society if only so the Rukon districts could be searched to locate him once more.

Yes, he was certain that nothing bad had yet happened to the young man and he knew without a doubt that Kisuke Urahara was aware of his location, even if the troublesome man more than likely had no plans of revealing it. This, of course, was no issue to the veteran commander because of the many words that could be used to describe him, stupid was not one of them.

He already had a fairly good idea where the former substitute was, the location was of course completely classified so he couldn't tell the rest of his subordinates. Normally he wouldn't have been so willing to accept that the young Kurosaki had already made it _there_ but that boy really loved to prove people wrong and so he would have to just give in and accept the possibility eventually.

It was actually only a couple days prior that something happened which immediately all but confirmed Yamamoto's theory. It was the stirring of his Zanpakuto, Ryujin Jakka in his inner world, something that in truth should only happen if he were to release his power in preparation for a fight, something he hadn't needed to do since the Winter War.

He frowned, subconsciously gripping his cane a little tighter as thoughts of his Zanpakuto entered his mind. Unfortunately, due to his position as the Captain Commander of the Gotei 13, he was almost never in a situation that called for him to release his blade. Of course, due to Aizen's plans, he was able to release his Shikai a handful of times in the past couple of years but that just wasn't enough. The last time he was able to really go all out and let loose was nearly a thousand years ago, and unless _he_ showed up to once again make an attempt at the Soul King's throne Yamamoto already knew that he would never release Bankai again.

Some would argue that it was a good thing, if Yamamoto had to release his Bankai then that would surely mean that the Gotei 13 had fallen and were at their last resort. So yes, by that logic even the Commander himself could admit that it was a good thing he'd only been called to the front line a handful of times. Yet, even so, there was always one entity that everyone seemed to always forget even though they possessed one of their own, and that was Ryujin Jakka.

A Zanpakuto's greatest wish is for their powers to be used because more than anything they wish to keep their wielders safe. It's even truer for a sword like Ryujin Jakka who chooses its own wielder instead of being born from a Shinigami. Yamamoto could barely use his though, leaving Ryujin Jakka with nothing more to do than hibernate until his flames were needed once more. He hated more than anything how much he was forced to neglect his Zanpakuto and so once he learned of what was happening in the higher planes it brought a small, sad smile to his face. Finally, maybe Ryujin Jakka's flames would be able to reduce all creation to ash once more.

Though just because Ryujin gives you the chance to wield him doesn't mean anything is set in stone, you have to prove yourself worthy of his power and his test is not for the faint of heart. As he turned back to head to his desk one final thought passed through his mind, ' _If he succeeds then train him well Ryujin, don't let him befall the same fate as I._ '

* * *

~ Soul Society, the next day

As expected, the news of Ichigo's disappearance got leaked out and it spread like wildfire all throughout the Seireitei. He was a known war hero to them all, even the unseated Shinigami and Academy students, and had many fan clubs in his honour, not that he actually knew of course. So it was understandable that when the news broke there was a lot of distress spreading, the Captain's struggled to calm their troops down and assure that they were looking into the situation with the utmost haste. Ichigo's stubbornness and tenacity were well known to everyone and so eventually all settled down again, well almost all.

"Damn that fool!" the petite, raven-haired Lieutenant of the thirteenth shouted as she continued to mercilessly strike the released Zanpakuto of her fellow Lieutenant. "He doesn't even have his powers anymore yet he still can't stay out of trouble!"

"Oi Oi, calm down Rukia!" Renji pleaded, he had no issue sparring with his longtime friend but this was getting a little ridiculous. Ever since the news dropped of Ichigo's vanishing she immediately hunted him down and without so much as a ' _Hey, how's it going?_ ' began to furiously assault him in an attempt to release some frustration. He was pleased when it seemed that she was finally finished. "You know that blockhead better than anyone Rukia, he probably just met someone who was in trouble and bit off a little more than he could chew." As soon as that comment left his mouth he had to quickly bring up Zabimaru in an attempt to block, ' _Alright note to self, don't mention Ichigo._ '

After a few more quick hits she settled down once again dropping her stance, an action that Renji mimicked.

"Do you.. do you think he's alright?" she asked quietly.

Renji pondered the question for a moment, he wanted to believe he was but it was hard to say. They didn't even know for certain if he was in any danger in the first place, or if he was how severe it could be. "Honestly, I'm not really sure.. but, no matter how much I think about it Ichigo is just one of those people I can't imagine dying, the thought of him loosing just doesn't feel right to me," he said, earning a small smile and nod from Rukia, "So yeah, I think he's doing alright."

After waiting a moment the red-haired Lieutenant broke the silence once more, "So have you actually heard anything else about the situation? Although Kuchiki-taichou has started being more open with me he still holds a lot back." Renji finished in a downtrodden voice.

Rukia, of course, picked up on this, her brother had definitely grown more open than he used to be but he was still very cold and closed off to most people. Rukia was probably the only one who got to see him in a more neutral state when some of his defences were down, it was something that she greatly appreciated. "No, not too much has been decided so far, all I know is that Yamamoto-soutaichou is sending SoiFon-taichou to the human world so she can speak with Urahara-san, Yoruichi-san, and possibly Ichigo's father too."

Renji nodded, it made sense. "Do you think they know where he is? I mean if he was in any real trouble I think they would have told us, don't you?"

Part of her wanted to believe they would, but a part of her also knew that the Soul Society hadn't really done much else aside from cause Ichigo problems since he became a Shinigami. If perhaps they did know where he was Rukia wasn't so sure they would even say so. No one really wanted to talk about it but there was an all too real possibility that he left of his own choice, that maybe he wanted some peace and quiet away from the supernatural after everything he'd been forced to do because of the Shinigami's negligence and incompetence.

She couldn't help but wonder, when his powers did come back would he even want to return to being a substitute Shinigami? The position caused him more grief than anything, but then again he never complained, and she knew deep down how much he loved to protect, she would even venture to say he had a bit of a hero complex.

She was wrought from her thoughts when Renji called her name once more, she flushed a little, embarrassed at being caught spacing out however answered him, "I don't know if they would, Renji," she said simply, leaving the rest of her unspoken thoughts to the imagination.

There was a brief moment of silence before it was broken by Rukia, "let's spar Renji, a real spar this time," she called out suddenly with a smirk, he was surprised momentarily though his expression quickly shifted to match hers once he'd realized what she said.

Since both of them were already in a released state Renji wasted no time in dashing forwards and met her blade mid-swing. As soon as the Zanpakuto's made contact a gust of wind was sent out from the point of contact, Renji was impressed with how strong she had gotten. Even though she hadn't actually admitted it out loud her longtime friend knew she'd begun her Bankai training, his grin widened as a thought passed through his head, ' _this was going to be a really good spar._ '

The blade lock ended with Renji as the winner, his larger size and higher levels of brute strength meant that Rukia couldn't hope to win in a contest of raw strength, but, where she lacked in other categories she definitely made up for in others, and she was dead set on making sure Renji was aware of that fact.

"Bakudo #26, Kyokko!" she called out, catching the red-haired Lieutenant off guard, his eyes widened considerably when the small form of his friend vanished behind a shimmering wall of light.

Quickly he readied his Zanpakuto and stood guard, he could no longer see or sense Rukia and so he needed to be ready for anything that could alert him to her location. It was times like this that he really wished he paid more attention in Kido classes back at the Academy, he had no clue what this spell was or the full extent of its capabilities. The regret clawing at him grew stronger when he felt ice crawling up his legs attempting to lock him in place.

He recognized the ability right away as Rukia's first dance, Tsukishiro, but this wasn't enough to beat him. Gripping the hilt of his blade tightly he swung Zabimaru down and shattered the ground at his feet, taking with it the ice that had tried to encase him. Immediately afterwards he hopped up and spun whilst extending Zabimaru so he could sweep the courtyard in a wide radius.

His guess turned out to be correct when he felt his extended blade crash against Rukia's, shattering the illusion she'd placed. "Nice try Rukia! But you'll have to do a lot better than that!" finishing his taunt in a yell he ripped Zabimaru away from her with pull, forcefully ending their blade lock and temporarily throwing the girl off balance from the suddenness of the movement. Not wasting the opportunity he gave a small flick of his wrist and sent the whip-like blade screaming back at her, cutting into her left arm before she knew what had happened. By the time she'd moved out of the way it was too late, her arm had been deeply gashed and rendered nearly unusable.

Rukia hissed and winced sharply when she had to find that bit of information out the hard way. It was no good, she couldn't match Renji in pure Zanjutsu, she needed to think of a new strategy to defeat him. In a soft swish of Shunpo, she was on him and swiftly exchanging blows, taking advantage of her small stature and superior agility to deflect the full brunt of some of the harsher hits. This clash was only made more difficult with her limited to using one arm.

Unseen by her sparring partner a small grin etched on her face as she finally thought of how to achieve victory, but she would need a little more time. She continued to cut at him relentlessly, pleased to note that a lot more of her slashes were getting through and either cutting his Shihakusho or body directly. As the spar continued Renji had also switched to using just one hand. ' _He's getting cocky!_ ' she noted with no small amount of sadistic glee, she wouldn't waste this chance.

Suddenly, much to the shock of her opponent, she released her Zanpakuto, letting it fly out of her hand towards the earth. Her right hand which was now empty rose up and stopped while aimed at her opponent's chest in preparation to use Hado #31, Shakkaho. That was a spell that Renji did recognize, and at such a close range wouldn't be able to dodge, so instead, he rose Zabimaru diagonally across his body and hoped for the best. Unfortunately for him, he'd fallen right into Rukia's trap.

"Bakudo #4, Hainawa!" she quickly called out, ensnaring Renji in a length of golden chain. I wouldn't be able to hold him for very long but it would give her enough time to enact the next part of her plan. "Carriage of thunder, bridge of a spinning wheel. With light, divide this into six! Bakudo #61 Rikujokoro!" This time, instead of a length of chain, six beams of light slammed into Renji's midsection fully locking him in place. She'd be lying if she said she wasn't enjoying the utterly shocked look on his face, this is what he got for underestimating her and she wasn't even done yet.

With another quick burst of Shunpo, she appeared behind him while he continued to struggle, with a brief mental command she used her ice rope connection to pull Sode no Shirayuki back into her grasp. Drawing a circle in the air with the tip of her blade and giving a brief shout of ' _Tsukishiro,_ ' Renji was swallowed in a pillar of ice.

And finally, to finish everything off Rukia launched one more spell to assure her victory, "Hado #33, Sokatsui!" The explosion rocked the training grounds, chunks of earth and ice were sent careening through the air and when the dust settled a battered and bruised Renji, no longer bound by Kido was seen falling ungracefully to his butt.

"Oi, when did you get so strong?" he asked, annoyed with himself. He should have been able to defeat her, not because Rukia was weak, but because he was stronger than her, Perhaps once she learned Bankai their levels would even out but for right now he was stronger than her and he should have won.

Rukia just scoffed at the pouting fool, "Maybe if you took me seriously I wouldn't have made you look so bad." she taunted. The thirteenth Lieutenant was just about to suggest they head to the fourth division when the sound of soft clapping filled both of their ears. As she turned around she was embarrassed to see not only Ukitake-taichou, but her Nii-sama stood there as well, proud gleams in both of there eyes.

"Well done Rukia, that was a splendid display of quick thinking and versatility," Ukitake said, smiling widely. Byakuya merely nodded his head slightly in agreement, but for Rukia, it was enough to know that he was proud of her as well.

The Captain of the Sixth's gaze then shifted to his Lieutenant who looked like he would crawl into a hole and hide right now if he could. "Renji, we will be increasing your training from now on." With his piece said he turned on his heal and began the other way. If anyone had been in front of him at the time they would have noticed a small smirk crack his icy features at the groan of displeasure released by his Lieutenant.

"Thank you for your kind words, Ukitake-taichou!" she said with a small bow.

Said Captain of the thirteenth just gave her an exasperated look at the formality she still used. "Come now Rukia, you are my Lieutenant, there is no need to be so formal anymore." Even though he saw her nod her head in agreement it was doubtful that she would become any less formal anytime soon, he'd been trying ever since she got the promotion and it hadn't happened yet, at this rate it likely never would. "Now then, why don't you both head over to the fourth and get those wounds looked at?" he suggested, earning a chorused ' _yes sir_ ' from the both of them.

* * *

~ Soul Society, Fifth Division

' _That dumbass, what's he gotten himself into this time._ '

As soon as the news first dropped he and the other Visored in the Seireitei immediately gathered to discuss what the hell was going on. The report given to the Captains was as bare minimum as you could get. Basically, all it said was that Ichigo had vanished on his way to the Urahara Shop. That one detail told the Visored quite a lot about the situation, the one fact in all this was that Kisuke in some way, shape or form was involved. Now that could be a good thing, but at the same time, it could be pretty bad as well.

Their best guess was that the shopkeeper had somehow managed to discover a way to return Ichigo's power already. As crazy sounding as it was considering how he lost them in the first place it really wasn't all that unrealistic. Urahara could do anything given enough time and Ichigo was as stubborn as a mule, if he really wanted his powers back already then he would get them.

The lot of them had wanted to just march into Karakura and demand answers but they couldn't just up and leave the Soul Society without the old farts permission, something they knew he wouldn't give. They all missed the kid, it was bad enough when Central gave the order that no one was allowed to make contact with him now that he was powerless, but now that there was a chance he could actually be in a tight pinch, to just sit back and twiddle their thumbs like they were forced to was hard.

Shinji could only wonder sometimes why he took this damn job back in the first place. Well, he knew why. It was to help reform his division back to its former glory and give strength back to the Gotei 13. Despite his personal feelings on the subject of Shinigami, the fact of the matter was they were here to protect the souls of the innocent and they did a pretty damn good job at it. Of course, after those souls come here it's pretty shitty for them in those districts, but you can't change the world in a day, right?

"Hirako-taichou?" Momo called out, grasping her Captain's attention. "Are you alright? You've been sighing all morning.."

"Eh, just thinkin' about that report, Hinamori-chan," he answered dismissively.

She nodded, that was what she had guessed. She'd never really spoke to Ichigo Kurosaki herself, but from what she gathered from everyone else he just didn't seem like someone who would die so easily, wherever he was, Momo was certain he was doing alright.

* * *

~ Soul Society, Eleventh Division.

The most fight loving squad in the Gotei 13 was in a completely different state after the recent report had been delivered. Whereas all the other Shinigami were feeling down about Ichigo's disappearance and worried for his safety, the eleventh were instead all being treated after their most recent ' _training session_ ' with the Captain. The reason for Kenpachi's sudden enthusiasm was actually what the report itself detailed.

Now, normally he wouldn't even be bothered reading such things. In fact, it was actually Ikkaku and Yumichika who dealt with all of the paperwork most of the time, and every now and then Yachiru would help too. But, unless there was something specific that he needed to sign he avoided paperwork like the plague. When it was discovered that today's report had information on Ichigo he made an exception and snatched it up, quickly reading the contents himself. By the time he was finished, there was a psychotic, face-splitting grin on his face and his body had been coated in a fine layer of golden reiatsu.

The first thing he'd said afterwards, to the complete shock of everyone else present was, ' _So Ichigo's finally decided to get his power back?! Good, I've been itching for a chance to fight him again!_ ' and that was what brought about Kenpachi's ' _enthusiasm_ ' to train.

Ikkaku had just finished another spar versus the man and was sitting a few feet away sipping sake when a question came to mind, something he had been curious about ever since his Captain had made that claim earlier. Yumichika and Yachiru who were sat close by obviously listened in as well, they too curious about the answer. "Hey, Captain? Why are you so sure Ichigo's training to get his powers back right now? What if he's actually in trouble?"

Kenpachi stayed silent for a moment and just looked down at his jagged blade. "I felt it the first time I crossed blades with him, although he may try and deny it Ichigo loves fighting just as much as I do, the only difference being the reasons we fight." He paused to scoff lightly, "Che, when those fools in 46 gave the order that Ichigo was to be left alone because he'd be happier as a normal human I laughed at the stupidity of it. Hell, even some of the other Captains and Lieutenants are stupid enough to believe that shit too, but not me."

He paused again before continuing, "When it was time to say goodbye to him and his friends and the old man ordered that we all gather at the Senkaimon, I seen the look in his eyes. He tried to smile it off but the fact that his powers were leaving him made him miserable. I knew right there he wouldn't just wait it out and let them naturally return, he would try his damn hardest to get them back as soon as possible, because Ichigo is a warrior like me. He lives to slaughter his enemies, and his instincts will always lead him to new battles."

That surprised them, Ikkaku always knew Ichigo loved fighting more than he let on, but to love it as much as his Captain? That was saying something. His Captain was a lot smarter than people thought, most people just assumed he was a fight-loving neanderthal because that's seemed to be all he ever thought or cared about, but that wasn't true. His Captain was by no means stupid and to hear those words from him now gave Ikkaku all the reassurance he needed. ' _You'd better get your powers back quick, Ichigo. Zaraki-taichou isn't a very patient person,_ ' he thought to himself with a grin, though the grin quickly faded when he narrowly dodged the jagged blade of his Captain's Zanpakuto once more.

* * *

~ Two weeks after Ichigo was stabbed by Amaterasu

It hadn't actually taken two weeks for Ichigo's human friends to notice that something was once again amiss with him, that was just how long it took for them all to snap and demand answers from the ever elusive Shopkeeper. They had actually noticed it within a few days, it just took a little longer then it might have normally since they were all on summer break and thus weren't seeing each other every day as they would if they were in school together. Well, that plus things were still quite awkward between the former Shinigami and his other friends, more specifically Ishida, Inoue, and Chad.

The situation wasn't as bad as when his powers first disappeared however it still left much to be desired. This was, of course, their own fault for pushing him of all people away, something they realized was incredibly stupid perhaps a little too late. Ichigo was the one person that more then anyone didn't need to be babied or pitied, and yet that was exactly what they did.

Ever since becoming a Shinigami he had faced enemies that outclassed him by no small margin, enemies that would make any lesser person run away in fear, yet he never did so. He always took his beatings like a man and then trained excessively so he wouldn't lose to that same person again, and if by some chance there was an enemy who beat him more then once he still never gave up, he would just train even harder for the next battle. He fought countless enemies, one after another with barely any rest in between and he never complained, never whined about how unfair it all was, he just kept getting back up, kept a firm hold of his blade and fought, fought to protect those close to him, and those he'd never met.

He died, actually died just because he wanted to save a friend, and did he complain? Not once. In his eyes his life was meaningless if he failed to protect someone, he felt pains and carried burdens that no one would want to wish on even their worst enemies, he gave up quite literally a part of his soul to save them all, and he did it with a smile.

Through all of this, he had matured to a level far beyond any of his friends, not because he necessarily wanted to, but because he had to. If he couldn't have kept maturing and growing then he wouldn't have survived through it all. He was the last person who needed to be tiptoed around and yet they still did it, and now with their friend gone, they could only look back on it with a deep regret.

Surprisingly, they were the only ones who hadn't actually realized how foolish they were being until it was too late. Urahara, Yoruichi, and Isshin certainly had, and while the three adults weren't hostile towards them, far from it, at the same time they weren't too eager to disclose any information on the whereabouts of their close friend and comrade either. Well not that they could even if they wanted too, that was grade a classified information, his friends probably all just thought this was some sort of test to see if they would get their act together, which in a way it was, but the reality of the situation was that Urahara never had any intention of telling them from the start.

Something they were unfortunately about to find out.

Everyone was gathered in the back room of the Urahara shop. Urahara and Isshin were sat at the table, Tessai was knelt off to the side and Yoruichi who was in her human form was leaning up against the wall with her arms crossed. Opposite of them sat a whole group of teenagers, Inoue, Ishida, and Chad at the front since it was mutually decided before arriving that they would be doing most of the talking. Behind them sat Tatsuki, Keigo, Mizuiro and Chizuru who had learned of the supernatural after the battle with Aizen, most would find it hard to believe but then again after what they had each seen with their own eyes it was hard to deny it.

The awkward silence was finally broken when Urahara spoke up, "ah, it's so nice to have company!" the former twelfth division captain stated joyfully, making an obvious attempt to prolong the situation and annoy the teens in front of him, "So what can this humble shopkeeper do for you today?"

Ishida wasn't having any of it though, "Cut the crap Urahara, we want answers," He stated bluntly. "No matter how many times we've asked you three whats going on you continue to give us foolish and roundabout responses. Enough is enough! Where is Kurosaki?!" Ishida commanded form his place on the floor, pushing his glasses up the bridge of his nose with his index finger.

"Oh?" the man simply replied, voice dropping lower as he snapped his fan shut startling the teenagers. It was then that he tilted his hat back to reveal his normally hidden eyes, not even Chad, Inoue and Ishida had seen the usually over the top store owner like this many times and they couldn't deny it was scary. A sentiment that the other teens who had yet to interact with this man before wholeheartedly agreed with. Gone was his carefree, nothing is ever wrong smile, now his mouth was set into a small frown and his eyes were hard.

"And if I refuse?" he asked, getting wide-eyed expressions from those before him. If he actually refused then there was nothing they could do, this wasn't a situation where they could force answers out, the three spiritually gifted teens present couldn't hope to best any of the four former Captains across from them.

"Please.. Urahara-san," Chad spoke up, there was no point in answering his question, there was no what if, if they refused to talk then that was the end of it.

"We just want to know where Kurosaki-kun is, we were foolish to push him away like we did and still care for him deeply, we want to make things right between us but now he is gone and we don't know how to find him.." Inoue added this time, tears forming in her eyes, bringing sombre looks to all of the teens in the shop, they all just wished to know where Ichigo was.

The serious look vanished from Urahara's face after hearing that, however, it wasn't replaced by one of happiness instead by one of sadness. "I'm truly glad to hear that Inoue-san, but unfortunately, it hasn't ever been that we didn't _want_ to tell you, but that we _couldn't_ tell you. And I know none of you will wish to hear this but even right now that is information I am not allowed to disclose to anyone."

Seeing that none of the teens knew what to say Isshin decided to speak up and voice his thought in hopes they would understand better, "Listen, kids, even though we aren't officially members of the Soul Society anymore that doesn't mean we can just do whatever we want, whenever we want to. There is always someone whose orders you have to follow, that's just the way it is in the supernatural world." He stated sadly with a soft shake of his head.

"Does this have something to do with that Soul King which Aizen tried so hard to kill? He's the ruler of the Shinigami is he not?" Ishida asked, the four adults across from him were honestly shocked at his deduction, it was a really good guess, and while it was kind of close it wasn't exactly right either, but it was the best they would be able to give them.

"More or less," Yoruichi smoothly lied, she didn't want to but in some cases, a person's wants don't come before their needs. The Quincy just nodded his head in understanding, he still felt like that wasn't all there was to it, however, he also knew he wasn't going to get any more than that.

Much to the astonishment of his friends it was Keigo who spoke up next, asking the one question on all of their minds, "Is he alright?" they didn't like the reaction said question received, simultaneously each of the former Captains gained a downcast expression and a dark look in their eyes, none of them wanted to answer it but felt that it was the least they could do since it was uncertain when or even if they would see Ichigo again.

Urahara had a neutral tone when he finally spoke up a moment later, in truth he was incredibly worried for Ichigo and knew there was a high chance he wouldn't come back, "No. No, he is not."

"Right now Kurosaki-san is going through a test, however, this is unlike anything he has ever faced before, it is not so simple as to just cut down an enemy this time, this is more than that. He needs to give up everything that he is, everything that makes him Ichigo Kurosaki the protector, he needs to throw all of that away and become the one thing that he hates. Only if he can do this will he succeed, if he cannot he will die."

Absolute silence was all that awaited him once he finished speaking. Inoue and Ishida who had seen Ichigo when he'd lost control of himself immediately thought of that demonic transformation and grimaced. Chad and the others who hadn't seen the transformation couldn't understand as well but they each knew of his inner hollow and what it did to him and as such made the same assumption as the other two.

They assumed he had to become that when in reality it had nothing to do with his hollow, though they wouldn't ever know the truth. The one constant between them all was the question why. Why was he being put through something so terrible, something that even if he succeeded would change him forever.

Even if Ichigo came back alive, they would each have to accept the possibility that he might not come back the same Ichigo they once knew.

* * *

~ Soul Society, Captain's Meeting Hall

It was a pretty relaxed atmosphere in the meeting room of the strongest Shinigami in Seireitei, only a slight tension was present due to the subject of this meeting. All thirteen Captain's and their respective Lieutenants stood in silence while they mulled over the latest information that had been given to them. The subject of such information, of course, being everyone's favourite substitute Shinigami, Ichigo Kurosaki, who even without his powers managed to find himself drawn into trouble. Well, to be fair they didn't actually know if he was in trouble or not right now, just that he was currently missing.

They had actually known about it for a week already but just hadn't made the official announcement until now due to lack of information. SoiFon had just returned from speaking with those in Karakura Town and everyone present was eager to hear what she had learned, even if she herself was not so eager to tell it.

A loud bang from Yamamoto's cane as it struck the floor signalled the start of their meeting, the aged Commander wasted no time in getting down to business. "So, what did Isshin Kurosaki have to say when asked about the location of his son, SoiFon-taichou?" with all attention on her there were some confused glances from some of the Shinigami as they noticed a light dusting of pink ease onto her cheeks.

She opened her mouth to speak but found that the words wouldn't come out, she really wasn't looking forward to this. When the Captain Commander opened one of his eyes and directed it's gaze at her she knew she could delay no longer. "He.. he said that his son was a young teenager in the midst of mating season and was out on a journey to make him some grandchildren," she felt even more heat rise to her cheeks when no one said anything in response, instead just choosing to stare at her.

The silence was finally broken by the boisterous laughter of Kyoraku which spurred a few more people to release a chuckle of their own, or at the very least smirk. "That definitely sounds like Isshin to me, always the eccentric one, eh Yama-jii?"

Yamamoto's eyebrow twitched in response, he was thinking more along the lines of pain in the ass. Isshin and Shunsui caused far too many headaches for the Captain Commander when he was still a member of the Gotei 13. He was a good man and a good Captain, and he could be serious sometimes when the occasion called for it, but more often then not Yamamoto was left questioning his sanity. "Indeed, I didn't expect anything helpful in regards to locating his son, though it didn't hurt to try. What of Kisuke Urahara and Yoruichi Shihoin?"

This time SoiFon held no reservations about what she was about to say, in fact, they could actually see some sadistic glee in the depth of her eyes. "Urahara wasn't helpful either, he simply began rambling about unrelated topics until I put his head through a wall, he was still asleep when I left." Everyone sweat dropped at that, they knew of her hatred for the shopkeeper and with his eccentric personality, the Captain of the Second Division was bound to snap eventually. He would probably be alright.. probably.

"And what of Yoruichi Shihoin?" he asked again, brow raising as he watched her face go red.

"Lady Yoruichi.. suggested that I assist Ichigo Kurosaki in his journey for making grandchildren.." she finished looking at the ground. Despite her cold appearance and attitude, she was still a girl at heart, especially since Yoruichi had always been able to break down her walls so easily, so hearing something like that from her was a bit much even for SoiFon.

Those who didn't know Isshin, Yoruichi and Kisuke very well could only look at SoiFon and wonder if any of that had actually happened, it didn't seem like something such widely known and somewhat respected Captains would say. Then again, considering that all the elder Captain believed it the newer members could only accept it too, no matter how ridiculous it sounded.

Ukitake being the nice man that he was decided to save SoiFon from all the attention and thus spoke up, "I think it's safe to assume that Ichigo-kun isn't in any immediate danger," he cut in with a smile. He really liked the boy and enjoyed having conversations with him on the occasions he would join Shunsui for tea. He'd already decided that when next the two met he would tell Ichigo the real purpose of the Shinigami Spirit Badge, he could only hope that the teen didn't hate him afterwards for lying about it.

"Yes, they definitely know where he is, though they clearly have no intention of telling us," Toshiro added, receiving nods from those present.

Next Kensei cut in, his voice gruff and his arms crossed. Ichigo was a fellow Visored thus he cared for the kid as much as every other one of his family. "So what's the big deal anyway? I think the kid's earned some peace and quiet after all the time's he's saved our asses. We'll know when his powers come back, not like he could hide that monstrous reiatsu of his even if he wanted to.

"That and he can't mind his own damn business, soon as he caught wind o' somthin' gone wrong he'd right back over here tryin' ta help," though he tried to keep a straight face while saying it by the time Shinji had finished he had his usual Cheshire grin on. He hadn't meant anything negative by his comment and everyone knew it, that was just how Ichigo was.

"I agree that Ichigo Kurosaki should be allowed peace until his powers return but the Central 46 has deemed it necessary that he be found as soon as possible," Yamamoto spoke out with a sigh, he just knew those old fools were up to something, something he feared would cause a big divide within the Seireitei. If they somehow managed to enrage the boy enough Yamamoto was certain that he would raise his blade against them. While unfortunate that wasn't what was really bothering the Captain Commander, no matter how strong Isshin's son was, he was still a few millennia to young to defeat Shigekuni Genryuusai Yamamoto.

No, what really bothered him about the situation was that he knew for a fact three quarters of his Captains and Lieutenants at the minimum would turn traitor if it meant deciding between the boy and Central 46, that was just the kind of loyalty he brought from those around him. Not to mention the remaining Visored in Karakura Town along with Kisuke Urahara, Yoruichi Shihoin, and Isshin who's monstrous strength even Yamamoto recognized.

The Central 46 was walking a dangerous line.

Him being the Captain Commander meant that while he couldn't outright side with Ichigo Kurosaki, that didn't mean he wouldn't do whatever he could from the shadows. "They have assigned the Stealth Force to complete this task," he directed at SoiFon.

She, of course, caught the hidden message in his eye, "I understand, Yamamoto-soutaichou, I will assign those necessary for this mission," she started professionally. Unfortunately, she just so happened to forget to mention that those who she would be assigning the tasks to would be her squads latest recruits, the ones who couldn't even fully conceal their reiatsu signatures yet. Plus, she already knew that the annoying shopkeeper would interfere with them, she couldn't count how many times she's gotten mission reports back from people saying that Karakura and the surrounding towns were haunted.

She, of course, knew what the real cause was, but she didn't deem it necessary to disclose that information to her men, she found their scared looks amusing when she would tell them they had been assigned for a mission there.

The meeting continued on for a short while longer after the original subject had been discussed, the topics of discussion being much more mundane now such as finances and training, budget issues and the sort. So when Yamamoto finally struck the ground with his cane to signal the end of the meeting the rest of the room was unsurprisingly happy, a couple walked out, however, most used Shunpo to return to their divisions quicker.

Yamamoto himself took a leisurely stroll back towards his office after the meeting. Perhaps it was because he'd lived for so long already and because of this his view of time was much different than other Shinigami but he just didn't understand this younger generations obsessions with rushing around so much. Always so eager to get things done and move onto newer tasks, which he supposed wasn't really a bad thing but it was his belief that unless one stopped occasionally to just look around at the world around you and enjoy it for what it was, then no matter how much you accomplished in that life you would still have missed out on something great. Unfortunately though, as he reached his office doors he was forced to set aside his enjoyment from this peaceful time and get his mind back on the subject of work, he had some things to think about.

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~ A/N:

 **I forgot to mention in the first chapter but if you have any question feel free to message me, I don't really like replying to reviews in the actual story because it just teases the readers into thinking the chapter is longer then it really is. Also, as I said in the first chapter I would like Ichigo to have a romantic partner and I don't mind taking suggestions for pairing ideas but if you're going to suggest someone then give me a reason why they would work, not just Ichigo x Rias because she has a big chest.**

 **If you have any thoughts on the chapter than feel free to leave a review, I'm always looking to improve my writing and so constructive feedback is appreciated. If you have any questions then feel free to message me, I always reply when I can.**

 **\- Vertius**


	3. Chapter 3

**Hey everyone, Vertius here with the next chapter of Guardian of the Dead!**

 **I'd like to apologize to everyone for my moment of indecisiveness with the plot of this story. I don't want to make excuses for myself and so I won't. Instead, I'll just promise that it won't happen again. I'd also like to hive a big thank you to everyone who messaged me and reviewed with their opinion on my dilemma, thanks to you all I was able to sort through all of my thoughts and ideas and regain a clear picture of what I want this story to be and where I want it to go.**

 **To any new readers who don't have a clue what I'm currently talking about, don't worry and just enjoy the chapter.**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own Bleach, Highschool DXD, nor any of their respective characters.**

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Guardian of the Dead

\- Chapter 3 -

He awoke to the bitter smell of smoke filling his lungs and the crackling of fires all around him. At first, he assumed that maybe he was still in.. Ichigo paused for a moment, he was just about to say someone's name, but now he couldn't remember it. Actually, he couldn't even remember why he was here for that matter, wherever _here_ was. He had just been.. Ichigo once again paused, what had he just been doing he wondered, ' _fighting Aizen..?_ ' he thought uncertainly to himself.

Delving into his memories that was the first thing which came to his mind and the last thing he could remember, but it just didn't seem right. His fight against Aizen felt like such a long time ago, however, he just couldn't remember anything else up until this point in time, it was like a portion of his memories had just been cut out.

He brought an arm up to shield his eyes as the warm rays of the sun which bore down on him from above, the warmth was really helping to ease his baffled mind and calm his frazzled nerves. He couldn't explain why but right now he just felt like something was wrong, so terribly wrong. Glancing down he noted that the uncomfortable surface he had been unconscious on was a white stone slab, spiderweb-like cracks crawled outwards from where his body had lay just moments ago.

He must've impacted the ground there which would explain why he was unconscious, so did that mean he was in a fight? He wasn't sure, that just didn't seem right to him. Then again _nothing_ in this situation seemed right, nonetheless since he had no more information to go on that explanation would have to do.

He glanced down once more, this time at himself, more confusion filled his mind as he noted his current apparel. He was wearing the same torn up Shihakusho that he'd had on after the final fight with Aizen, actually, maybe it was a little worse off than it was back then but that didn't really matter right now so he shrugged it off. Deciding it was time to get some answers he stood and stretched his stiff body out, he couldn't deny how good it felt as he listened to his bones pop back into their correct places.

Giving his body one final stretch he looked around at the surroundings, he released a grunt of annoyance after noticing that the smoke surrounding him was far too think to actually see anything more than a few feet away. As he took a step forward it was like the world reacted to his movement, a gust of wind swept over the land taking the smoke with it and revealing his location. He could only stare wide-eyed, an expression of disbelief on his face as he tried to come to grips with what he was seeing.

It was the Seireitei, of that he was sure, or at least what was left of it. It had become nearly unrecognizable, every structure had been reduced to rubble and dust, the very ground the city the city laid upon was uprooted and ripped apart with many large gashes appearing to have been cut into the land. What could have happened to cause something like this? He couldn't begin to imagine an enemy strong enough that they would be able to reduce the Seireitei to _this_. Aizen maybe, but Ichigo had defeated him, right?

He blinked, and like curtains opening before a show or a filter being removed from a lens, now he could see the bodies. He couldn't count them all if he tried, innumerable bodies belonging to unseated or low ranked Shinigami, he couldn't recognize any of them but that didn't make them any less important. Some were missing arms, some legs, some a little of both, and some were barely held together at all anymore. The blood was everywhere, splattered over any walls that remained standing, dying the once white streets of this city red.

He had seen some awful things during his time as a Shinigami, but this.. this was a massacre.

His mind was just trying to keep up with what his eyes were seeing, the reality of it was laid out before him, it was just so hard to believe. Mindlessly he stepped forwards, then once again, and again, he wasn't sure where he was going or why he was going there, he just felt compelled to walk forwards and so that's what he did.

The silence was deafening as he gazed over the destruction around him, every now and again he would hear a scream echoing off in the distance but he couldn't be sure if it was real or just his minds way of telling him that this was his fault. He knew he shouldn't think like that, that it wouldn't help anything, but he was unconscious in the middle of all of this with no memory of what happened before that, what if this really was partly his fault?

He didn't know how long he walked for, maybe thirty minutes, maybe a couple of hours, it didn't really matter, nothing changed no matter how many steps he took. Even as he closed in on the centre of the Shinigami city everything was destroyed, bodies lay strewn over the rubble and blood dyed the earth red. The only movement he'd seen so far were the various plumes of smoke billowing out from different sections of the land.

Then, a flash of red caught his attention from the corner of his eye, different to the endless blood around him, it almost looked like.. "Renji?!" Ichigo yelled out, flash stepping over to where his friend lay in the rubble, the fact that he used flash step when he was supposed to be powerless completely lost on him. Immediately his eyes closed in a moment of silent sorrow as he scanned the fallen form of his good friend. The bottom half of the Sixth Division Lieutenant was gone, cleanly bisected at the waist, his right arm was horribly mangled and rested at an awkward angle. His left while not as bad still sported many large gashes and cuts, lightly gripped in his hand was the broken remnants of Zabimaru.

Ichigo couldn't look at the pained expression still latched onto his face for more than a couple seconds without having to turn away, he just couldn't believe it. "Who could have done this?" he whispered out with a shaky breath. He was about to step away, no longer able to stand the sight before him when he felt a burning in his right hand. To his shock he now held a Katana, the blade was chipped along its edge, its circular guard was cracked and missing piece's, the purple hilt was faded and dirty, fraying and unravelled in many spots. This blade felt familiar, yet he couldn't remember why.

He blinked once again and sharply gasped, almost dropping the mysterious blade in the process. It was now covered with blood, the blade, and the hilt, as well as his hand which held it. All the way up his arm and all over his body was blood, and he knew it was not his own, but there were only fallen Shinigami around him, so why? The implications made him want to scream, there was no way he could have done this!

He was brought out of his stupor when his instincts started screaming at him to dodge, so he did, and just in the nick of time too. A blade narrowly missed his arm, leaving only a small cut on his remaining Shihakusho instead. Glancing towards the attacker he couldn't believe what he was seeing, it was Rukia, and she was crying. He could see it clearly, pink eyes and puffy eyelids, she had been deeply crying, she couldn't even meet his gaze as her sword trembled lightly in her grasp.

"Ru- Rukia..?" he called out weakly, attempting to step towards her, the way she stood between himself and Renji's body, it was almost as if she was defending him from Ichigo, but why would she do that? It only took a few seconds for his heart to shatter at the words she spoke to him.

"I always knew you were evil," she began in a low tone, struggling to keep her voice steady, it sounded as if she would break at any moment, "but _this?_ " she continued, weakly gesturing out over the land with her free arm, "Have your delusions of being a God really turned you into such a monster?! I don't know how you escaped Muken, and I frankly don't care, but for you to come back and do this?! Look at all these men and woman! All good people with homes and families of their own! Now they're all dead! Slain by your hand!" she was basically screaming at this point, her voice kept cracking and tears were running down her cheeks, in truth Ichigo felt a couple of his own pricking at the corners of his eyes, but she wasn't done, "And now, for your _sick_ pleasure you would even carve up the corpses of the deceased? Well, I won't let you!" And that was it, with a scream of pure anguish she charged Ichigo.

Ichigo for the most part only realized what was happening after feeling her blade bite into his arm, since then he's just been numbly sidestepping her swings, occasionally deflecting her strikes with the mysterious blade he held in his hands, however, he wasn't focused on this _fight_ at all.

He felt like he couldn't breathe, he could feel his heart racing, the blood pounding in his ears, his brain just couldn't fathom any of this. ' _Dreams of being a God? Escaped from Muken? All these Shinigami dead by his hand?_ '

What- what do you mean?!" he asked frantically, his sanity slowly slipping, his composure nearly gone as this situation overwhelmed his reason, "It was Aizen who want-" he couldn't even finish as another sword screamed passed his head, nearly separating it from his shoulders.

' _Byakuya?!_ ' he questioned mentally, looking at the man who now stood next to Rukia, the loathing in his eyes no less than his sister.

"Do not speak Aizen's name so freely, Kurosaki," he spat venom with his words, "He was a great man, a man you took away because of your perverse desires of Godhood. As soon as you got your hands on the Hogyoku and merged it with yourself you eliminated him because he had seen too much. A demon like you has no right to speak of him."

He wanted to object to the man's claims, so badly he did! But just as he began to open his mouth a terrifying burning began in his chest. He was almost afraid to look down, but morbid curiosity won out in the end and just as Byakuya had stated there it was planted firmly in his chest. It almost looked like it was mocking him as it swirled with life, mindlessly he rose a hand up to touch it but immediately retracted it when it burnt him on touch.

"Bankai, Senbonzakura Kageyoshi."

He heard those three all too familiar but terrifying words from Byakuya and narrowly dodged the tsunami of deadly sakura petals. Once again his mind was on autopilot, flash stepping out of the way of Byakuya's Bankai and parrying Rukia's own blade. His mind felt like it was shutting down, he felt like he wanted to cry, to scream, to pull his hair out in frustration, he just wanted to know what this all was, why this was happening. Once again he narrowly missed death as a wave of yellow reiatsu rushed passed him, forcing him to stop in his tracks.

"Che, almost got ya too," a rough voice called out to his left.

"Kenpachi?" the teen called out, more to himself than anything, it was odd seeing this man without his normally psychotic grin etched across his face, in fact, Kenpachi actually looked pissed right now, and it was directed right at him. Despite his crazy battle loving personality, he was quite level-headed when the time called for it, perhaps he could ask Kenpachi what was going on before Byakuya and Rukia returned, though his hopes weren't high.

"Kenpachi! Why are you attacking me?! I'm not your enemy!" he shouted quickly, but as he thought, his hopes were dashed when the man before him just rose an eyebrow, looking at Ichigo like he couldn't believe what he just heard.

"huh? Did you lose a couple screws down in Muken? You come up here and thrash the place, kill thousands of Shinigami, and then say you ain't the enemy?" His grin returned in full after that, "I'm not usually one who cares for such things, getting revenge and all that crap, but even I can't let all this go for nothin' so I'm gonna have to kill ya, no hard feelings, eh?" he asked, but Ichigo could tell that Kenpachi didn't actually care if there were any hard feelings, he was looking forward to striking the teen down.

He could feel Rukia and Byakuya behind him again, Kenpachi still looked at him with bloodthirsty eyes, Ichigo hoped it wouldn't get any worse but it seemed that no God was listening to his prayers right now. Soft swishes of Shunpo filled the air as he was surrounded by friends and comrades. SoiFon, Toshiro, Rangiku, Komamura, Kyoraku, Shinji, Kensei, the list went on and it only got worse when three more soft swishes filled his ears.

His father and two mentors, Isshin, Kisuke and Yoruichi stood there staring at him, their eyes filled with the same amount of hate and disgust as the rest, he couldn't help but let out a muffled sob as he flinched backward. Tears were blurring his vision now which in truth was a good thing, seeing his father look at him like that, it cut his heart deep.

No one moved, the others didn't attempt to attack him yet and he certainly wasn't going to initiate the fight, they all just stood there, waiting. Finally, the still was broken after another distinct sound of Shunpo cut through the silence, this one much stronger than the others. Before the person even appeared in front of him, Ichigo could feel an immense reiatsu weighing down on him. Blinking into existence a few feet away from him and in front of all the other Shinigami was the Captain Commander.

"Jii-san," Ichigo said softly, he didn't know why he did to be honest, at this point maybe he was just hoping for someone, anyone to tell him what was going on, why all of this was happening. Then again, the old Commander would probably be the one to kill him, Ichigo knew he couldn't defeat the old man, not even if he wanted too. Much to his surprise, however, the Commander merely opened his eyes from their usual slits and met Ichigo's gaze head-on. The young teen couldn't help but feel like he had seen something in his eyes, like a hidden emotion, some form of recognition, sympathy, but he couldn't be sure.

"Ichigo Kurosaki," he started, voice gruff, "I do not care how you escaped from Muken, however, this cannot go unpunished, prison will not do anymore, only your own death will be sufficient payment for all of the blood on your hands." He paused for a moment, giving Ichigo another questioning gaze, "So what will you do? Fight against us in an attempt to preserve your life? Or will you let us kill you? He finished.

There was something about the way he said it that confused Ichigo. It wasn't in a mocking tone, as if he was just daring the boy to fight only to fail and die, it was like he was genuinely curious, and that rose the question, would Ichigo just let himself die? Or would he fight his friends and family to preserve his own life that was being threatened by this cruel twist of fate?

He didn't know, no matter how much he thought about it he couldn't find the right answer. It was all just so messed up, Aizen was the one who had done those things, not him, at least he wanted to believe that but, it was hard to.

' _This all feels so real, no matter how many times I wish it was only a bad dream and bite the inside of my cheek, I don't wake up. The looks they're giving me, the hate, the anger, it isn't fake, but why? Aizen was the evil one, not me, right?_ ' he asked himself, panic starting to take over as doubt clouded his mind. ' _It was Aizen, not me. It was Aizen, not me. It was Aizen, not me._ ' even as he repeated this his mind was believing it less and less with each passing moment.

' _I fought him and he was locked away, but then why did I wake up in the middle of this devastation with no previous memory? Why do they all wish to kill me? Why are they telling me I did all this, why am I covered in all this blood?!_ ' again his hand went to the Hogyoku, ' _Why is_ this _in my chest.._ '

' _No, no, no,_ ' he thought quickly, ' _it was Aizen, not me.._ ' he felt another pulse from the Hogyoku within his chest and his mind began to grow fuzzy.

" _Why do you hesitate, Ichigo?_ "

' _It was Aizen, not me._ '

" _Just kill them like you did the rest of the Shinigami here._ "

' _Shut up, it was Aizen, not me._ '

" _Look at all the blood covering you, you are so close to taking the throne.._ "

' _I said shut up! I didn't do this, it was Aizen!_ '

" _Everything we have worked for the past hundred years, two years in Muken was a small price to pay, wouldn't you agree? Now Ichigo, kill them! Then you can finally be God!_ "

That was the final straw for the young teen, this whole time it had slowly been building and it seemed he was reaching his breaking point. Fresh tears were running down his cheeks as he looked towards Yamamoto once more. Locking gazes he was temporarily stopped when he thought he saw more flashes of emotion in his old eyes, this time it was sadness and regret but he didn't think on it long, his mind was already breaking down. His heart felt like it would burst through his chest at any moment, this was all just so wrong, "It wasn't me! I- It was Aizen! I defeated him for you guys!" he started to yell.

The old man gave him one more pitying look before closing his eyes again, not wanting to watch this anymore, then he rose his cane from the ground, silently giving the order to attack. Even as Ichigo continued to scream frantically, each Shinigami present drew their blade and charged at him.

Ichigo wasn't sure when it had started to rain, but he wasn't really complaining either as it continued to fall on him from above, gradually getting heavier with each passing second. It actually kind of suited the current situation, it was like the sky was weeping with him as his soul cried out in agony. He supposed if there was one complaint he had, it was that no matter how much rain fell on him, soaking into his clothes and freezing him to the core the blood wouldn't wash away, not the blood of the thousands of Shinigami he killed, and not his own.

His body remained still as all of his friends and family attacked him, only jerking slightly every time one of their blades made contact with him. He was a protector, no matter how wrong all of this was, no matter how much it hurt, he would not fight back.

Not as Shinji ran his blade through Ichigo's left shoulder, nearly severing it, not as SoiFon and Toshiro cut each of his legs deeply, not as Kyoraku cut him across the chest nor as his blood gushed out in an ark, not as Rukia's blade nicked his cheek, or as Byakuya's ran along his back. No, he wouldn't fight back.

Not even as his own father ran his blade through the centre of his body did he fight back.

"Rot in hell you monster," Isshin whispered to his son with sadistic glee, their faces only a few inches apart now. Those words finally got a reaction out of Ichigo, his eyes widened briefly before his face set back into neutral indifference and his eyes went blank. Tears still ran down his face as his body went limp and he slid off his dad's Zanpakuto, falling to the earth below with a thud.

Now he lay broken and bloody amidst the rubble, his body motionless, the only movement coming from the slow rise and fall of his chest with every shallow breath he took, each one coming farther and farther apart from the last. The mysterious purple-hilted Katana lay a few inches from his hand, he no longer had the strength to hold it.

His normally warm brown eyes which swam with life were now dull and unresponsive to anything. He was mumbling to himself, most of it was just him repeating the same phrase, ' _It wasn't me,_ ' over and over again, there were other words he spoke too although they were just too incoherent to actually make out. He was still crying, his tears came on stronger then ever even if it was harder to tell now with the rain that continually fell on him from above.

Then everything around him disappeared, all of the Seireitei was gone except for the surrounding few feet of rubble that he lay on, other than that there was darkness. Even the clouds overhead were gone, yet the rain still fell on him and the blood refused to wash away.

There was a small eruption of flame in front of him which drew his gaze upwards, his vision had gone somewhat blurry due to the tears and rain, however, a couple blinks cleared everything up enough for him to make out the figure before him.

While human in shape the figure couldn't really be classed as one since that was as far as the similarities went. Its body was formed of what appeared to be molten rock and ash, an eerie red glow continually seeped from his joints. All across its body on the arms, legs, shoulders, chest and probably on its back too were smaller red lines of varying sizes, much like that of glowing red scars. The being had no mouth, nose or ears, just two large horns on each side of its head, both decorated with glowing cracks of red and orange, much like the rest of its body. The most offsetting feature it possessed were the two red-slitted eyes glowing crimson like the strongest of fires.

"Who.. are you?" he wheezed out.

The figure did not reply at first, instead rose its right arm towards the sky. As soon as this gesture was completed fire exploded outwards consuming everything, it stayed that way for a few seconds, gradually getting hotter and hotter until finally the fire died down again revealing to Ichigo a nostalgic scene.

Instead of the rubble which he lay on before, now he was propped up against a blackened rock that lay not too far away for a large and very much active volcano. Even as he lay there, fresh veins of molten rock flowed down the sides of it onto the land, the small rock he was currently on was actually surrounded by the molten slurry now that he looked harder.

Then suddenly, like a barrier had been removed from his mind all of the information of the past few months came back to him, this scene before him being very familiar, ' _This is the scene that lay in that painting.. so then he is?_ '

"Ryu..jin, Jakka?" he asked, voice shaky from his injuries.

"Correct, Ichigo Kurosaki," he confirmed, his voice was fairly deep, but it sounded aged, not like that of a grandfather but of someone who had seen and learned a lot during their lifetime. Ichigo could feel the power reverberating strongly with every syllable that escaped his mouth.

Some of the emotion seeped back into the young teens eyes at that confirmation, he couldn't help but clench his jaw in anger as vivid images flooded his mind, memories of that dream he was made to watch by the being before him, "You bastard, why did you show me that scene in my inner world?" he asked through clenched teeth.

Instead of answering, however, Ryujin Jakka merely turned away to look at their surroundings making Ichigo bristle with frustration. He was just about to call out to the Zanpakuto spirit once more when Ryujin spoke up again, asking a question of his own.

"Tell me Ichigo Kurosaki, when you hear the word fire what is it you think of, what would you associate with such a word?"

' _Fire?_ ' he mentally questioned himself a little surprised by the question, however, after thinking briefly about it he came up with an answer. ' _Destruction,_ ' that was one word he closely associated with it, forest fires, house fires, a fire was something that could and would burn endlessly if given the chance, something that would consume all without discrimination, it was something that given enough time could bring a whole city to ruin. ' _Death,_ ' that was another word he couldn't help but think of when hearing the word fire.

A fire was not protective, it wasn't the same as something like ice that while yes could take lives away, it could also protect them. Ice can be made into a variety of shields or barriers to protect and save lives, but not fire. Fire existed solely to destroy and cause pain.

"Death and destruction," he replied simply.

Ryujin Jakka gave a brief nod in response affirming his answer, then after a few more seconds spoke again. "If you understand that then must I really answer your first question?"

Ichigo's eyes briefly widened in understanding, "You were showing me how dangerous fire can be by itself, but even more so if used improperly by someone else," he replied, coming to the realization after hearing the fire type Zanpakuto's words. However, this confused him as well. "Why did you show me that though? It doesn't make sense.." he trailed off, falling back into thought again, ' _The only reason I could think of is that he wants to be wielded by me, why else would he contact me?_ '

"Do you wish to be wielded by me?" he asked, completely serious and definitely not expecting the response he got in return.

Ryujin Jakka merely let out a humourless chuckle at the question, "What would you do if you had your powers right now, Ichigo Kurosaki?" Once again ignoring the teen's questions.

As annoying as it was Ichigo was getting used to it, this Zanpakuto seemed a lot ruder then the teen would have originally thought. More so, he normally wasn't an overly prideful person, but for Ryujin Jakka to laugh after being asked if he wanted to be wielded by him annoyed the teen. But he wasn't in a position of power right now and thus just decided to answer. After a minute of silent consideration, he replied, "I would protect."

"I don't believe you," he stated bluntly, bringing confusion to the teen's face. "You cannot even protect yourself yet you would protect others? Don't be foolish. You are weak, Ichigo Kurosaki, weak of body, week of will and weak of mind. You are nothing but a pathetic poser who likes to play hero." he finished, leaving the teen utterly shocked.

After getting over the absurdity of what he'd just heard, Ichigo bristled with anger. He wasn't sure why it had made him so angry to hear that as he'd been called weak so many times before and he never let it bother him, but to hear it now, to hear that he was weak after everything he had done, every challenge he faced and persevered through, it infuriated him.

"Weak?!" he couldn't believe it, "I stormed the Seireitei, the supposedly impenetrable fortress after only being a Shinigami for a couple months, and only being informally trained for ten days all to save Rukia, yet I'm weak?" I defeated two lieutenant class fighters and arguably one of the strongest captains in the Soul Society with only my Shikai, but I'm weak?! I learned Bankai in _three days_ and stopped the Sokyoku, the blade said to possess the strength of a million Zanpakuto with my single one then defeated Byakuya with my newly acquired and untrained Bankai, but I'm weak?!"

Even though he will still quite injured Ichigo was almost yelling at this point and running short on breath, however, Ryujin Jakka just continued to look at him impassively which honestly only enraged the teen more. "I stopped the leader of the Bount from destroying the Soul Society! I stopped Amagai and his Bakkoto when he sealed the Zanpakuto's of every other Shinigami! I defeated Muramasa and stopped the Zanpakuto rebellion! I helped Toshiro defeat his old friend Kusaka who had stolen the King's Seal and merged with its powers! I stormed Hell to save my little sister and cut the supposedly unbreakable chains that bind sinners, but I'm weak?!

Ichigo just couldn't stop, for him, it felt like he was finally getting all of his frustrations off his chest that had built up since becoming a Shinigami, it felt too good to stop so he kept yelling.

"I invaded Hueco Mundo to save Inoue, defeating the fifth Espada, Grimmjow and the fourth Espada, Ulquiorra who had two releases and should have honestly been a lot higher ranked then he was! Then, without break, I went back to Karakura and confronted Aizen for the second time. I'll admit he bested me there, however, I didn't let it deter me, I trained for three months in the Dangai and learned the final Getsuga Tenshou, and then once again without rest went to fight Aizen for the third time and weakened him enough to where he could be sealed! Something that none of the other Captains could do! Not Jii-san, not Kyoraku, not Byakuya, Toshiro, Urahara, Yoruichi, not even my Oyaji! I was the one who did it! Yet you call me weak?!"

Ichigo was out of breath and panting now, that was something he had wanted to say for so long, it felt like a weight had been on his shoulders the whole time and now he was finally free of it. Ryujin still stared at him like he hadn't just heard anything Ichigo just said, either that or just didn't care.

Ichigo's eyes widened when the Zanpakuto spirit before him flickered from existence, too fast for him to follow. Time seemed to slow as Ryujin appeared before him, knee stretched out and digging painfully into his stomach. When everything went back to normal Ichigo was sent rocketing backward through the rock he had previously been leaning against, spit and blood leaving his mouth as he flew, only increasing as his back painfully impacted with another pillar of rock further behind him.

He couldn't stop the scream of agony that left his throat, the pain from his previous wounds was still strong enough and that kick didn't make it feel any better, but as if it couldn't get any worse when he landed his whole right arm had been submerged in the flowing lava beside him, and now as it continued to burn away at him his body refused to move, refused to pull away.

He screamed until his throat was raw and voice weak, finally, after the seemingly endless torture, it stopped. The pain was still there, he could feel it through every fibre of his being, but maybe it was because he was bordering on the brink of unconsciousness it didn't bother him as much.

He could see the silhouette of Ryujin Jakka stood before him even though his vision was too blurry to actually make anything out. The only definitive feature he could make out were the two glowing red eyes that seemed to be looking through him instead of at him.

"You are weak, Ichigo Kurosaki," Ryujin said again, Ichigo's eyes widened minutely before closing to their former position right after, the teen was too weak to protest.

"You speak of all those accomplishments so passionately, like they are actually yours but you did not earn them, you were guided through them while holding the hands of your Quincy and Hollow powers. If not for them you wouldn't be here today, you would be dead at the hands of Renji Abarai or maybe Kenpachi Zaraki if you were lucky enough to make it that far."

"You are foolish and naive, you lack instinct, it is as your hollow said, you try to fight with logic and by doing so you are trying to fight with a sheathed sword, how can you defeat an enemy with a dull blade?" he paused for a moment, letting the question sink in, "The answer is simple, you cannot. This is why you are weak, why you cannot win with your own power."

The fact that Ryujin Jakka knew what his hollow said was completely lost on him for the moment, his mind was still pretty overwhelmed by the pain, though his thoughts were getting clearer once again. "I.. did fight.. with instinct," he argued with bated breaths, though was ignored. The more he thought about it, the more the realization hit him. Sure he had moments where he used his instinct, and in those moments he dominated whatever fight he was in but for the most part he ignored them, because he was scared to become like his hollow, and in the end it that fear was the reason why his hollow always had to take over and save him.

Ryujin gave a hum of thought before speaking again, "You fought with instinct? Then tell me Ichigo Kurosaki, even though you could tell something was wrong from the beginning, even though deep down you knew that world you were in wasn't real, why did you let them attack you without fighting back?"

Ichigo's eyes widened briefly once again, ' _He's right, why did I let them attack me? I knew deep down it wasn't real, yet I let them almost kill me because they looked like my friends and close allies,_ ' he knew the answer, "I couldn't bring myself to attack them."

Ryujin let out a deep, almost sad sigh at his answer, "and that is why you are weak, Ichigo Kurosaki."

The Zanpakuto was about to turn away when he gave some final parting words, "Earlier you asked if I wished to be wielded by you, the answer had been yes because I had high hopes for you.. now, however, I can see that you are still too young and naive, you are not worthy of my power," and with those last words he was gone in a burst of fire and so too was the world in which he lived.

Now Ichigo was just in darkness, he was still leaning up against something, what it was he didn't know, he couldn't see anything no matter how hard he looked. He noticed fairly quickly that it was really cold wherever he was, whether it was just naturally cold in this dark area he found himself in or if it was because his body was going cold from lack of blood, he wasn't sure.

' _Shit.._ '

' _Was I really always so weak?_ '

' _I wonder, would I really have made it so far without old man Zangetsu and my hollow?_ '

Looking back on it now he couldn't help but accept that the answer was probably no, everyone always told him that he was a scary kid with a monstrous amount of reiatsu, but looking back on it now he hadn't really won any fight without some sort of help after originally being saved by the old man versus Kenpachi.

His thoughts were interrupted when he started coughing up blood once more. ' _Shit, once again I'm about to die, only my hollow isn't here to save me this time, maybe it's because I really was too naive but I never thought I would die so young, shit, I don't want to die yet,_ ' he thought, grimacing to himself as fresh tears started coming to his eyes once more.

' _hah, that pasty-skinned bastard's probably laughing at me from wherever he is,_ ' he couldn't help but crack a sad smirk at the thought.

" **Not exactly, King.** "

Even though he was so close to death, he couldn't keep the look of absolute incredulity off his face at the sound of that all too

familiar voice, nor the sad smile as he was once more, and probably for the last time able to gaze out over his city of blue skyscrapers.

* * *

~ Current time, Outside Urahara Shop

There was a sombre atmosphere hovering around the teens, they had just finished meeting with Urahara, Yoruichi, and Isshin in hopes of gaining some answers about their missing friend, and while they had received some it was nowhere near what they had hoped for.

All they knew for sure was that Ichigo had once again been dragged into something supernatural that dealt with quite possibly the most important figure in their universe – as far as their knowledge went – the Soul King. But, this also meant that they would have to sit back and wait for Ichigo to return when he was done with whatever it was he was doing. It wasn't as if they could charge into the Soul Palace and demand to speak with him.

They would just have to give him hell when he got back for just leaving so suddenly without a word to anyone, even if he couldn't say where he was going or why a simple heads up would have been nice. They weren't worried though, there was no what if for them, even if the stripped hatted man said there was a possibility he wouldn't come back they just couldn't believe it. Ichigo's friends, especially the ones who had gotten to fight alongside him so far just couldn't accept that, to them, Ichigo was someone that just couldn't lose, he always won, always accomplished what he set out to do.

If only they knew.

"I hope Kurosaki-kun is okay, I know he is strong but with what Urahara-san said I just can't help but worry," the soft-spoken girl said as she held her hands together in front of her chest, almost as if she was praying for his safe return.

Tatsuki gave her a sideways glance, she knew of her bubbly friends near obsessive levels of affection towards her childhood friend and she was rooting for Orihime, however, she already knew that the chances were slim for her. Ichigo had never shown any outward signs of affection towards Orihime even after all they had been through and she knew that despite his appearance he liked to put up he wasn't dense, she was almost positive that Ichigo knew of the auburn-haired girl's affection towards him.

She knew that during his time as a Shinigami he was too busy to even consider such things, heck, he barely even came to school most the time because he was so busy saving the world. There may have been a possibility now that his powers had disappeared but from what she had heard, Orihime, Ishida, and Chad had slowly been pushing him away since the end of the winter war. Not intentionally of course but the fact that it happened couldn't be forgotten, and as much as she hated to say it, to her, that would have killed any chance of a relationship happening between the two.

But telling Orihime that would crush her and so she kept quiet, silently hoping her friend would move on, on her own. ' _Even though that's highly unlikely,_ ' she thought with a snort.

"Tatsuki-chan?" Inoue said, directing a questioning gaze towards her friend.

Tatsuki shook her head lightly as to dismiss it, she could see that Orihime wanted to ask something else but luckily she was saved by the bell, or in this case, rolling thunder.

Each of the teens presents shifted their gazes upwards, what had until then been a beautiful and sunny day was now taking a downturn, dark grey clouds were creeping towards them in the distance bringing with it deep grumblings of thunder and a guarantee of rain.

Tatsuki let out a noise of surprise at the sight, storms in summer weren't too odd however those clouds gave her a bad feeling in the pit of her stomach, "That looks like a pretty nasty storm coming our way, maybe we should all head home, it doesn't look like it will take very long for it to reach us."

Her comment earned some moans of displeasure, however, each of them resigned and nodded their heads in agreement, it wouldn't do well to get caught out in the rain. "Agreed, I need to get back to my training anyways, I can't have Kurosaki getting his powers back and being stronger then I am," Ishida said with a small smirk earning some from his other friends, he would never call Kurosaki his friend out loud but he would definitely call him his rival.

That seemed to bring a smile to Inoue's face again, "Your right! I can't slack either, I need to be ready to help Kurosaki-kun if another bad guy ever shows up, right Sado-kun?" She asked the silent giant with a bright smile.

He merely gave a grunt of agreement and a thumbs up in return, those that knew Chad well understood that such a small gesture actually carried a lot of meaning for him.

Thus with those final words spoken, the group bid farewell to each other and broke off into their own separate directions. Tatsuki and Inoue going one way, Keigo, Mizuiro and Chizuru going another as they all lived relatively close and finally Ishida and Chad were going off in their own little group, they wouldn't stay together for long since Ishida's house was quite far off – it being a mansion and all that – but at least for a couple blocks they could travel together.

* * *

~ Karakura Town, Soccer Field

Karin had always been spiritually gifted, much more than she let on at least, she'd just never had any interest in actually entering the world herself, especially after seeing how much of a hassle it was for her older brother, that was a headache she just didn't want to deal with. As such, she pretended that she couldn't see anything and thankfully had gotten quite good at it, so good in fact that when ghosts came to bug her, not even they could tell if she was truly able to perceive them or not.

But, no matter how much she trained herself to ignore the supernatural and everything that came with it, whether she liked it or not there were just some things she couldn't get away from. She would get certain feelings every now and then, like a chill down her spine when something related to that world was coming near her, especially if it was something bad. So when the low growl of thunder could be heard off in the distance and she caught sight of some very dark and ominous clouds that really put her on edge she decided it would be best to end soccer practice early and head home. Her friends might not have been happy with the decision but if they could feel what she did they would understand.

* * *

~ Karakura Town, Random Street

Even though Yuzu Kurosaki was not a spiritually aware as her two siblings, only being able to sense the presence of ghosts if they were nearby and at most seeing a slight blur in the air, she too decided that it would be best if she got home as soon as possible once she noticed the telltale signs of a storm coming in. Although her reasons were much different then her sisters, she couldn't feel the dark and forbidding feeling that the clouds gave off, no, she was just terrified of storms.

Thankfully she had already finished grocery shopping and was only a couple blocks away from home, like every day she hoped that this would finally be the day in which her beloved Onii-chan returned from wherever he was. Even though she and her sister Karin had been given a brief rundown of the supernatural she still didn't know much about it, only that her brother had once again been drawn into it.

She wished he could just go back to being a normal human again, she didn't like the fact that he risked his life so much, she knew that was probably selfish since he was risking it to save others but she just didn't care, to her, her Onii-chan's safety was most important. She wouldn't know what to do if she ever lost him, sure she was getting older now but there would never be a time in which she didn't want her big brother around her.

* * *

~ Takama-ga-hara

The higher planes of heaven, home to the Shinto Trinity and a vast amount of the worlds Kyuubi population was a beautiful place. Lush rolling hills, vibrant flowers, clear water, dense forests. It really was a perfect place to live, it never rained, never snowed, it was always sunny during the day, maybe there would be clouds if the Goddess of the Sun was not as chipper as normal but it was without question always sunny and warm, and that's how the Kyuubi liked it, most didn't even know what rain was, only having heard about it from the elders who had been to the human world.

So one day when the temperature fell and dark clouds blanketed the sky blocking out the sun's warmth and casting an ominous shadow over the land the Kyuubi knew something terrible had happened and their Goddess was grieving. It only took a couple moments after the sky had been blacked out for the first loud claps of thunder to roll across the sky, then shortly after the clouds which had been holding a great weight in them gave way letting the first drops of rain in recorded history fall on Takama-ga-hara.

Though calling it a simple rain would be a great understatement. The rain fell over the land with a roar, the drops heavy and falling in such a magnitude that every little fox hidden in their homes could not even see out past their own front yard. Every minute or so the sky would flash with brilliant white light immediately being chased by a loud clap of thunder that would make the land tremble in fear.

If that was not bad enough, the normally gentle breeze had picked up and now ripped across the land, uprooting some of the older trees which roots no longer held the strength they once had. The trees which were too sturdy to topple merely had all of their leaves forcefully plucked until their branches were bare.

Yes, their heavenly mother was filled with anguish and grieving deeply.

* * *

~ Temple of the Shinto Trinity

The God of the Moon, Tsukuyomi and the God of the Sea and Storms, Susanoo had both felt the abrupt change in their sister. Just a little over two weeks ago the former Shinigami, Ichigo Kurosaki had been given passage to the higher planes for a multitude of reasons but none more so than the simple fact that Amaterasu wished to meet him.

Ever since he was born their sister had been infatuated with him, not in a romantic sense of course but just because of who he was and who he would be. She would always tell them about how he would grow up to be an incredible man who saved many, and from what they had heard of his incredible list of accomplishments so far, he had.

It was truly a shame that he was forced to give up his powers to defeat Aizen, their Shinigami had once again dropped the ball and let them down, however, they assumed that within a couple weeks his powers would be back and all would be right again, how wrong they were.

Unfortunately, they couldn't be present during his arrival due to supernatural related business, peace talks with other factions and all that. The relations between many factions had been deteriorating as of late and thus the Shinto were doing there best to try and keep everyone together, another great war was _not_ something that they needed.

They had both felt her mood immediately brighten and stay much more joyful then it was normally shortly after their most recent departure, as such they had assumed that the young Kurosaki had arrived safely and he was everything their sister had hoped for. Then, the very next day her mood shifted, she was still happy but now there were strong emotions of worry and anxiety as well as frustration. He must have met Ryujin Jakka and begun the test.

Her mood stayed about the same for the next couple of weeks which gave them a good indication of how he was doing, then, once the most recent day broke her mood darkened. With each passing moment, her worry grew and a fear starting building in her stomach until it dwarfed every other emotion present. It seemed the test was not going well for the young man. Both of them had questioned whether or not he may have been too young when Amaterasu suggested her plan to them, however, her confidence in the boy was absolute and thus they went through with it. The two Shinto Gods were starting to wonder if they had been too quick to accept.

Those thoughts were all but confirmed when they felt her spirit shatter and her soul begin to weep.

Immediately after feeling that they returned to their home and it was worse then they thought, a storm that would make even Susanoo proud had the circumstances been different was raging throughout Takama-ga-hara. This obviously wasn't good for the heavenly plains and the Kyuubi, therefore, using his own immense powers Susanoo forcefully fought against it, calming the raging winds to a mild breeze and slowing the torrential downpour to a light sprinkle.

Upon entering their shared shrine both of the male God's felt their own hearts break at the sight of their sister hunched over in her thrown weeping. Her eyes were bloodshot and glossy and even now her shoulders silently shook as little water droplets continued to pool at her feet. As soon as she noticed their presence she stood and gracefully drifted over the floor hugging them both, she didn't need to speak any words, they knew what had happened.

* * *

~ Muken

" _Ichigo.._ " that all to familiar, deep, baritone voice called out over the empty city.

The teen craned his head up from his spot on one of the sideways skyscrapers, he was too weak to actually sit up but he needed to see that face again, "Old man Zangetsu.." just seeing his Zanpakuto spirit once more brought his soul a peace that not much else could. The regal man merely inclined his head from his place atop his usual flagpole though Ichigo could see the corners of his mouth slightly turned upwards.

" **Oi Oi, don't go forgetting about me now King.** "

Ichigo could practically hear the shit eating grin on his face, in all honesty, he was even happy to see that nut case once more. "I would if I could, Zangetsu," he responded, thoroughly enjoying the look of shock on his hollows face. If only he had a camera.

" **So you finally figured it out, huh? Took you long enough. I thought I'd have to beat you over the head with a sign that said 'I'M ZANGETSU' before you'd get it through that thick skull of yours,** " even though the smart-mouthed quip both Ichigo and the old man could hear the genuine happiness at finally being recognized by Ichigo, not as a monster, but as Zangetsu.

"Yeah yeah, sorry it took so lo-" he was cut off when once again he began hacking up blood, this time worse than the last.

" **You look like shit, missing an arm and all cut up like that, you really are useless.** "

"Yeah, you don't need to remind me," he noted duly, his voice once more returning to its former state of melancholy. Unknown to Ichigo who was just gazing up at the sky, both of his spirits exchanged a glance and nodded, it was time.

" _You shouldn't be so hard on yourself, Ichigo. It was our fault that we never taught you the secrets of battle, we didn't want you to learn it because if you did, it would mean that any chance you still had of living a normal life would be gone. You were lucky in being able to survive this long as you are, but that will not do anymore._ "

Ichigo merely stayed silent listening to his wise spirit, he was curious what this 'truth of battle' was.

" _Tell me Ichigo, do you truly, from the bottom of your heart with to fight again? To put your life on the line for others? To be a protector once more?_ " the old man asked, more serious than he'd ever been before, even more so than when he fought against Ichigo during the Dangai training.

There was no hesitation from the young man, "I do, ever since that time so long ago when I protected my first soul from a hollow I knew deep down that this was what I was born to do, and I cannot settle for anything less." he said, full conviction in his voice as he gave both spirits a glance. He could tell that deep down neither of them wanted him to keep fighting, it was as they said during the final Getsuga Tenshou training, all they ever wanted to protect was him, but this was his choice and no matter what he wouldn't change it.

" _Very well, as I would expect from you Ichigo, however, if you truly wish to fight once more then we will make sure you are ready this time. No longer will we hold anything back from you. It's time for our final lesson Ichigo, it's time for you to learn the art of killing._ "

* * *

~ A/N:

 **So to start the chapter off we get Ichigo's test from Ryujin Jakka, I hope I wrote it well enough to convey the seriousness of it and the impact it would have on Ichigo. Next, he meets Ryujin for the first time and we learn a little about his appearance and personality. I changed what he looked like from the anime because officially he takes the form of fire. He's literally an inferno that can talk which is stupid so I changed it. After he is left to die he hears a voice he never thought he would again and see's his former inner world.**

 **Next, we go to Karakura and get a little more of the ryoka gang as well as their other human friends after their meeting with Urahara. We have some inner monologue with Tatsuki basically closing off any and all chances of the IchiHime pairing in this story, which let's be honest, no one likes anyway. Also, what would be the point of doing a crossover if I just used the Bleach characters in it, right?**

 **We see a little bit with Yuzu and Karin because even though they won't play a big role in this story if any, they are still his little sisters. Finally, we go to Takama-ga-hara and find out that things aren't doing so good. Amaterasu isn't taking Ichigo's 'death' well and we get some screen time with Susanoo and Tsukuyomi now too as well as some of their thoughts on the current situation.**

 **Also, I was re-reading some of the LN's for DXD to re-familiarize myself with the story and my god, I forgot how bad Ddraig has it right now. From Heavenly Dragon, feared and respected by all, to some perverts tool for gathering a harem.. poor Ddraig.**

 **If you have any thoughts on the chapter than feel free to leave a review, I'm always looking to improve my writing and so constructive feedback is appreciated. If you have any questions then feel free to message me, I always reply when I can.**

 **\- Vertius**


	4. Chapter 4

**Hey everyone, I don't have much to say here except that the updates with almost definitely be slower from now on. I always try and update as soon as possible but life is life and sometimes you don't get a lot of free time. Anyways, enjoy chapter 4!**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own Bleach, Highschool DXD, nor any of their respective characters.**

* * *

Guardian of the Dead

\- Chapter 4 -

~ Ichigo's Inner World

' _The.. art of killing?!_ ' those four words seemed almost too hard to comprehend at first. Ichigo had definitely heard his Zanpakuto spirit correctly, even as he shifted his gaze between the two of them their expressions remained grim, their eyes nor wavering once.

' _They're being serious?_ ' he realized with wide eyes, ' _but why?_ '

There was a soft fluttering of cloak and quiet footsteps as the old Quincy approached the still prone Ichigo, " _I can see that you are confused by my words, however, my wisdom and fortitude have never led you astray. If you truly wish to protect, then you must learn to kill._ "

"I- I don't understand, Ossan, shouldn't it be the opposite?" he asked, voice shaky.

A deep, dual-toned sigh filled the space the three occupied causing Ichigo to shift and tilt his head so that he could meet the hard gaze of Zangetsu, " **Ichigo, why do you think I always dominated the opponents that you couldn't beat whenever I was forced to take over your body?** "

The teen quickly adopted a look of contemplation upon hearing the question, but no matter how much he thought about it he could only come up with one answer, "because you were stronger than me?" he said, drawing a frown from his inverted form. Ichigo found that reaction curious, he assumed that his inner hollow would've loved to hear the orange-haired teen admit that.

" **And here I thought you finally understood.** " he started, rolling his eyes at his wielders stupidity. " **You realized that both the old man and I are Zangetsu, but that isn't all. What is Zangetsu, Ichigo?** "

' _What is Zangetsu? What kind of question is that? Zangetsu is the name of my Zanpakuto, but that cant be what he was asking, that's too simple,_ ' he thought, exhaling sharply through his nose, ' _Okay, let's start from the top. What is a Zanpakuto? With the exception of a few artificial blades like Hyorinmaru and Ryujin Jakka, a Zanpakuto is born from a Shinigami's soul as the manifested form of their own unique reiatsu signature. So essentially, that would mean that the Zanpakuto IS the Shinigami, or at the very least a direct extension of them,_ ' Ichigo huffed to himself, the answer was pretty obvious now that he actually thought about it.

With a grimace and no small amount of pain he managed to get himself into a seated position before giving Zangetsu a grin, "Zangetsu is me," that answer brought a matching grin to his hollow's face.

" **Exactly. And, since both the old man and I are you, then that means we've only ever been as strong as you are, as you grew, so did we. So once again, that begs the question, why did I so easily defeat enemies that you struggled with.** "

"I don't know," he replied slowly. Truthfully he felt like he did know, only his mind was blocking the answer, most likely because he wouldn't like what the answer was.

Zangetsu and the old man knew this of course, though it didn't change the fact that it needed to be said, " **It's because you never fought with the intent to kill. Byakuya, Grimmjow, Ulquiorra, Aizen, hell, even me, you were so afraid to actually kill someone that you unconsciously hindered yourself. You put restraints on your own power so you wouldn't accidentally overdo it and take someone's life. But for me? I never had any such issues, every time I took over your body I did it with the intent to kill whoever it was that put you in that sorry state.** "

Ichigo closed his eyes and inwardly sighed, that was the answer he was afraid of. There were many things buzzing through his mind right now, many questions he wanted to ask, some positive, some not. But, right now none of it mattered because over it all there was one question he needed the answer to, it had been poking at the back of his mind ever since Zangetsu said Aizen's name.

"If I had fought with the intent to kill my enemies from the very beginning, and I didn't hinder myself- if I'd done that, would I have been able to defeat Aizen without using the Final Getsuga Tenshou..?" the words, ' _would I still have had to lose you,_ ' were left unsaid but still heard by both Zangetsu's just as clearly.

His theory was all but confirmed when the two of them stayed quiet, refusing to meet his gaze.

The old man was the first one to actually reply, " _If, you had fought with the intent to kill since the awakening of your powers,_ and _, myself and Zangetsu did not hold anything back from you, then yes, I think you would've had a very high chance of killing him without the use of_ that _technique._ " even now both of the Zanpakuto spirits refused to say its name, they hated it and what it stood for that much.

Ichigo nodded silently, knowing that he'd lost both the old man and Zangetsu because of his own naivete hurt, it hurt a lot. "Is the reason Aizen was sealed and not killed when I used the Final Getsuga Tenshou because I held myself back?"

" _Yes._ "

That was all the response he got, all the response he needed in this situation. He could feel the guilt, the sadness, the anger, the depression all beginning to take hold of his heart, he could feel his resolve once again starting to wane. Then he bit the inside of his cheek. Hard. He could taste the tang of blood in his mouth and feel the tears beginning to prick at the corners of his eyes from the sudden pain but it was necessary.

He sighed deeply once again, something he found himself doing a lot lately if he was honest, ' _No more. No more will I waiver, no more will I despair, no more will I hesitate._ '

"Ossan, Zangetsu.." he began softly, directing the words he was about to speak at the both of them, "Even though Byakuya openly stated that he would hunt down Rukia and kill her, I still couldn't raise my blade against him with the intent to kill. When Kokuto tried to kidnap Yuzu and Karin, succeeding in getting Yuzu while almost eternally binding her to that infernal place in the process, I still couldn't raise my blade against him with the intent to kill. When Grimmjow so effortlessly put his hand through Rukia's stomach, nearly killing her once more, I still couldn't raise my blade against him with the intent to kill." he paused for a moment, he couldn't help but grimace as he talked, hearing himself say all of this showed how truly weak he had been.

"When Ulquiorra took Inoue and then, even more, implied that they had done something to her, once again, I couldn't raise my blade against him with the intent to kill. Aizen wanted to sacrifice all of Karakura Town, my home, and the thousands of innocent people in it just to create the Oken, so he could try and fulfill his dreams of being a God, even after all of that, I still couldn't raise my blade against him with the intent to kill."

"It was because of this that I always either barely managed to win, getting beaten and bloody in the process, or I would flat out lose and in the case of Ulquiorra die, resulting in me needing to be saved by you two. This whole time I've shouted proudly that I'm a protector, a fighter of evil and bringer of justice.. but Ryujin Jakka was right, I'm just a foolish kid who has no clue about the reality of this world," he continued dejectedly.

"I was too naive, I believed that I could stop everyone without killing them, I hoped that if I spared their lives then they would change, and everyone could live peacefully, without fighting. Honestly, I was just being really arrogant." releasing a humourless chuckle he threw his head up so that he could look at the sky, "As grim as it may sound, I now understand that true peace is impossible. As long as people exist, as long as they have emotions, there will always be conflicting beliefs, those conflicting beliefs will lead to fights, and those fights will lead to death.

I know I can't protect everyone, and I won't live forever.. but while I am alive, I want to fight so that others don't have to. I want to carry those heavy burdens, carry the pain and suffering in this world so others don't have too."

"Please Zangetsu, Ossan, teach me how to fight, to _kill_ , so that I may truly become a protector."

There was a brief moment of silence where both spirits looked hesitant to agree, even though that was the reason they had originally been given another chance to manifest and teach him. One undeniable fact though was the immense pride each of them felt for the young man before them. To be able to admit all of that, he was truly maturing.

Eventually, the old man nodded solemnly, " _Ichigo, even though I said this would be our final lesson, you already know how to fight, and deep down you already have the honed instincts to kill. The art of killing is not something that can really be taught with a blade, it is something that is taught with the mind._

 _You already have the knowledge on 'how to kill' as well as the knowledge to use all of the techniques you possess which we were never able to teach you before, the only question remaining is, will you be able to find it?_ "

' _I already have the knowledge?_ ' pausing from that thought, it was then that his mind registered something the old man had said, in fact, he had said it at the beginning of their conversation as well. "What do you mean our final lesson, Ossan? Aren't you guys back for good now?"

The regal spirit shook his head in the negative, " _No, truthfully we should not be here right now, and for that matter neither should you,_ " immediately he noticed Ichigo's face fall, he knew that the boy wouldn't want to hear this, however, the fact of the situation couldn't be changed.

" _We, as Zangetsu died when you used the final Getsuga Tenshou. We should have never appeared again, and you should have died from the wounds you received not too long ago during your test. But, the same being that postponed your death was also the one who gathered the memories within your reiatsu to allow us one final meeting together._ "

Even though Ichigo just told himself that he would no longer despair, this was different, he thought that he had the old man and his hollow back again. To now find out that after this meeting he would have to say farewell to them once more, this time for good, it was a tough pill to swallow. "Who saved me? Us?"

" **That we can't tell you, you'll meet them sooner or later, but for now we've got more pressing matters to attend to. Or did you lose your resolve already?** " Zangetsu asked, flashing his King with a challenging smirk.

"Heh, no way, I'd say it's about time I got around to kicking your ass once and for all," Ichigo responded, his confidence returning once more as the small amount of despair which clawed at his heart already began to fade away. ' _Right now, Zangetsu, Ossan, I promise to the both of you that I will no longer despair, nor will I hesitate, I will keep moving forward._ '

" **It's all well and good to say that King, but you don't really look like your in any position to fight right now.** "

"I-" the young teen immediately closed his mouth after that, he had nothing to say. He could barely sit straight right now, let alone fight, and he was still missing one of his arms.

" **Che, guess there's no helping it,** " Zangetsu spoke cryptically.

Before Ichigo could question what he'd meant his body stiffened at the phantom feeling of his hollow mask resting on his face, even though he instantly brought his hand up to feel for it he was shocked when he felt nothing actually there. 'Wait, I shouldn't have been able to move so fast,' glancing down he noted that while his arm was still missing and most of his more serious wounds were still there, he had been healed quite a lot. He looked over towards Zangetsu again who was looking smug as ever.

" **There, I helped you out a little but that's all your getting. If you want your arm back and the rest of those injuries healed, well then I guess you'd better figure out how to use my powers, before you really do die.** "

With a small grunt, Ichigo stood from his place on the ground. He tried to stretch out his body once more however sharply recoiled upon feeling his wounds starting to open up, "So, how are we going to do this?" he asked both his spirits, voice tense. To add to his unease both of them merely smirked before being concealed in raging pillars of reiatsu, the old man's blue, and Zangetsu's white tinted red. When the over the top displays of power finally receded he could only groan, this was going to suck.

" _ **Tensa Zangetsu,**_ " they both called out simultaneously. Zangetsu was wearing his usual white version of their Bankai cloak with tufts of fur around his collar and wrists, in his hand was the white Tensa Zangetsu. The old man, as usual, had reverted to his younger self, he still wore his black cloak, however, he now held the black version of the sword which Ichigo was so familiar with.

He could tell by his hollows shift in footing that he was preparing to attack, unfortunately though before he could question about his own lack of a sword to defend himself the young Quincy spirit flickered from view, only reappearing once more when a few strands of his orange hair fluttered down before his eyes.

" _There is no more time for talk, Ichigo, all the answers you need can be found in our blades._ "

Before the teen could blink his hollow had planted a foot in his side, sending him shooting through the air and right through one of the many large buildings that made up his inner world, though the impact had jarred him he quickly regained his footing and stepped off the building mere milliseconds before a white Getsuga Tenshou ripped through his world. ' _Okay, first things first I need a sword,_ ' he grunted out in his mind as the black blade from his Quincy powers narrowly missed him once more.

He could tell that both of them were giving him a short time to figure this out, however, he could feel that the both of them were gradually picking up the pace and with each slash or stab that he dodged the gap in between was getting more and more narrow. ' _Alright think, technically they died after the final Getsuga Tenshou and thus shouldn't be here, however they said that whoever saved me used the memories within my reiatsu to give them temporary life again.. so that-_ '

"Arrgh," the teen cried out, frustration clear on his face. He had just felt the distinct pinch of steel on his side, he wasn't sure which one of his spirits had got him, he was too lost in thought, but that was just one more injury he needed to be wary of now. "Dammit," he grunted out, he needed to try and focus on his issue of not having a sword which was difficult because at the same time he needed most of his concentration on both of the people currently trying to cut him.

' _If my mystery saviour can use the memories within my reiatsu to create life, then surely I can recreate Zangetsu using those same memories. I may not have it anymore, however, my soul still remembers it._ ' His left arm rose out slightly in front of him as he set his hand in the rough shape it would be should he have been holding a blade and then he focused. ' _Remember. Remember the feeling, remember the weight, remember the sense of ease I got when I held that blade._ ' He couldn't help but crack a smirk as he felt an all too familiar and welcome feeling in his hand.

" _Well done, Ichigo,_ " the younger version of his Quincy powers stated, a pleased smile on his face, one that his hollow tried to match, though he was much more bloodthirsty and menacing. Ichigo knew what this meant, now that he had a blade to defend himself with, his soul would no longer hold back.

After a brief stare down each spirit twitched and shot off, Ichigo's blade quickly connected with his hollows white version with a loud clang that reverberated through the otherwise silent world. The teen quickly noticed what his hollow was about to do when one of its hands parted from the white hilt, instead he moved it upwards towards the tip of the white blade, smirk ever widening as he did so.

' _Shit, I can't get hit by that so close in this state, it could kill me,_ ' he thought to himself, panic slowly starting to set in as he felt the familiar buildup of energy along the blade, however then it hit him and he took one deep breath on, and let it slowly back out.

' _I just need to trust my instincts.._ ' he said simply to himself, a small smirk tugging at the corner of his lips.

And trust them he did. Without warning, Ichigo's body lurched forward and his head connected brutally with that of his white counterpart temporarily dazing him, although Ichigo wasn't sure if it was so much the headbutt that did it or just the shock of him doing so in the first place. With a small flick of his wrist, he removed the white Tensa Zangetsu from his path and slashed his hollow deeply across his chest and stomach, just barely ducking down quick enough to avoid having his head removed from his shoulders by the cloaked young Quincy.

Ichigo spun quickly, trying to meet the downward strike that followed the first which aimed for his neck, he was partially successful, Only having access to one of his arms meant it was impossible to fully nullify the two-handed swing his Quincy powers slammed into him. He could feel the shock right into the depths of his bones and in that moment of hesitation, his hollow returned the previous wound back to him.

The cut he received on his back was small however when a kick quickly followed right after and planted itself right where the fresh wound lay, the pain was intensified immensely and once more he was sent shooting through the air into another one of the many skyscrapers.

He jabbed his blade into the side of the demolished building to help himself stand and gazed up to where his two spirits stood in mid-air, they were looking at him with blank expressions, he couldn't gather any information of what they may have been thinking from their eyes, something which bothered him.

Ichigo's eyes narrowed further as his hollow shot him another one of its arrogant smirks, though he didn't need to question why, not just a moment later he could feel his eyes widen again as he watched a white substance started bubbling out of the wound on his hollows front side, quickly disappearing right after and leaving behind not even a scar. ' _High-speed regeneration?! Now that I think about it, that bastard has always possessed it. that's how he saved me after Ulquiorra killed me back in Hueco Mundo._ '

He cast a sideways glance towards his missing arm again and recalled the words that Zangetsu had spoken to him before this fight had started ' _He said that if I want to heal myself I would need to learn how to use his powers, this must be part of what he was referring too, and if he could heal even my internal organs back then, then an arm should be simple now._ '

With a small nod of his head, he pressed off the roof, quickly closing the distance between himself and his two spirits and the dance of blades continued. The minutes flew by as the three clashed swords, even though the teen had started on the aggressive the battle quickly switched tones and he was continually being pressed by his two attackers. He could feel it right away, both of his spirits were easily as strong as their combined form was during the Dangai training, they were fighting with speed and strength that Ichigo was having great difficulty keeping up with.

Ever since the first wound which he inflicted on Zangetsu, he had yet to land another on either of them, yet they had been slowly adding up tallies on his body and it was taking its toll. That coupled with the fact that he could only use one arm to try and block their brutal two-handed slashes meant his arm was quickly tiring along with the rest of his body. It had been slowly getting worse as time went on and the fight dragged out, he wasn't sure how long they had already been at it, but he knew it wouldn't last much longer if this brutal onslaught continued as is.

Though this hadn't been a complete waste of time with only him catching wounds, he was slowly but surely starting to understand how his powers worked, and even more so he had a theory about high-speed regeneration. He had noticed it after they had been exchanging strikes for a few moments, every time their blades connected he could feel something in the back of his mind. It felt like he was becoming calmer and more level-headed, thinking things out more in the heat of battle instead of overreacting to things which would normally cause him to.

Everything just felt so much clearer, like he had a blanket over his senses his whole life that was finally, slowly but surely being removed.

" _Don't lose focus, Ichigo!_ " His Quincy yelled out as their blades met again, " _You still have yet to learn any of our techniques and your body is deteriorating quickly, you have no time to space out!_ "

Ichigo merely grunted in response as he watched another small piece of metal chipped off his black blade, pretty soon it would strongly start to resemble Kenpachi's jagged Zanpakuto. He would admit, even with his calmer head he had internally freaked out when he noticed his Tensa Zangetsu was breaking, however, after thinking about it, it made sense. This blade was only made up of the memories within his reiatsu, technically it did not exist anymore, thus it was nowhere near as durable or powerful as it once was.

Ichigo broke the blade lock and jumped back, creating distance between himself and Zangetsu, it looked like both of them were about to continue their assault, however, paused upon noticing.. something off about Ichigo, so they decided to wait and see what was going on.

Ichigo meanwhile was completely ignoring everything else, for quite some time now he had been doing something he never had before, learning to actually control and use his reiatsu more efficiently than just pushing some into Zangetsu and firing off a Getsuga Tenshou. Of course, he was nowhere near able to fully control and suppress it, that would take a lot of time and training, but after much effort, he was now able to at least visualize his power and somewhat move it around.

After finally learning to visualize his reiatsu he had momentarily stumbled mid-battle after seeing how nearly _infinite_ his reserves were. It was astounding, now he understood why everyone always called him scary. It wasn't as if he had ever seen another person's reserves before, he just knew that his weren't normal. His stumble meanwhile had earned him a fairly nasty wound on his leg but it was worth it, and if his theory was correct then he wouldn't be feeling it for much longer.

Reaching deep within his soul he felt for his powers and each aspect that made them up. The light blue reiatsu representing his Quincy powers, the red reiatsu representing his own Shinigami powers, and the black reiatsu representing his hollow powers. With his lack of control, he wasn't able to just solely grab onto his hollow powers but he figured that it wouldn't do any harm if he used more then just his hollow reiatsu considering they were all _his_ powers after all.

Deciding to test it out hopefully without alerting his two companions Ichigo pushed the hollow reiatsu through his body and into his back, directing it to one of the nastier cuts he had been given by the two stood before him. He couldn't help the grin that came onto his face as he felt a slight tingling along the length of the cut before it was completely gone, "heh, about damn time I got something," he murmured to himself.

Meanwhile, his two spirits had been watching him closely and they were very confused when they saw him grin and start muttering to himself. " **Do you think he's lost his mind?** " the white Ichigo asked his brown-haired partner, a confused expression on his face.

" _Fool, we would know if something like that were to happen,_ " although he couldn't deny his wielders attitude was.. odd to say the least.

Wanting to hopefully give then a big surprise he pushed even more reiatsu to the stub where his right arm should have been however when nothing happened he frowned. His hollow had said it could be done, did he perhaps need more control first? ' _No, that doesn't make sense, my control is terrible already yet the small cut healed. Perhaps I need too.._ ' and just a few more seconds later the same white substance that formed his mask exploded from his stub of an arm. It lasted a little longer then it did with the cut on his back, but, when it did disappear after a few seconds Ichigo couldn't keep the large smile off his face as he once again had both of his arms.

He just continued to flex and stretch out his new muscles, completely ignoring the looks of astonishment from his Zanpakuto. It was only the low whistle coming from Zangetsu that actually got him to shift his gaze up.

" **Well colour me impressed, I didn't think you'd learn how to regenerate your arm so fast.** "

"I'm glad because you could do with a little more colour," Ichigo said with a smirk, earning a frown from his hollow, although he could tell his hollow wasn't actually mad, it was just good-natured banter.

" _Though I am curious Ichigo, how long have you known how to use high-speed regeneration? I would assume you've been able to for a while since you could already regrow your arm, but at the same time it makes me wonder why you let injuries keep building on your body if you had known how to heal yourself._ "

Ichigo nodded silently, "Well, I had a theory on how it worked for a while now, I would have attempted it sooner but I had trouble finding and separating my reiatsu, even now I couldn't do it completely." he started earning a pleased nod from his Quincy powers, "I actually just tried it for the first time on one of the wounds on my back and it worked, I figured next it would be best to do my arm however nothing happened the first time when I just tried pushing the reiatsu into it like I did with my cut, so I thought about it for a few seconds and I came to the realization that healing a limb is different than a slash or stab wound," the teen then paused briefly.

"With a cut you're just stopping the blood and stitching the wounded flesh back together, however with a missing limb there isn't actually anything to 'stitch together' so to speak, and so I realized that I needed to visualize my arm, remember the feeling of it, and remember how it felt to move it and use my muscles as I was pushing hollow reiatsu into the area." he finished, he would admit that he felt a slight tinge of heat spread to his cheeks at the looks of pride he was receiving from his two spirits.

" _As expected, your growth rate and ability to adapt were always astronomical, now that you have access to all of our knowledge as well I won't be surprised if you are able to learn everything before our time is up._ " the younger version of his Quincy powers noted while lightly shaking his head in amusement.

"Well, I'm glad I know how to do it but I feel so drained now," the young teen stated, voice sluggish with fatigue. He had just finished healing the rest of the wounds present on his body as his Quincy and hollow mulled over his words, he couldn't help but fall to one knee in an attempt to catch his breath.

" **Of course you're tired, you didn't think high-speed regeneration would come without a cost, did you? As you learn better control and precision it won't be so bad, but regenerating wounds, especially limbs takes a lot of reiatsu.** "

" _Indeed, however since we are in a realm much similar to your inner world it is impossible for you to exhaust your reiatsu reserves, you can take injuries and feel fatigue however you will not run out of reiatsu. Now then Ichigo, stand!_ " he spoke, voice raised slightly as he held his sword out in front of him, " _We are far from finished here._ "

* * *

~ Muken, Ichigo's Inner World, Two Weeks Later

Calling it his inner world still would be quite the stretch, none of the original towers remained, now it was just a wasteland of debris and destroyed buildings. The harsh sounds of steel clashing, explosions and other various impacts that plagued this normally silent world for the past couple of weeks had temporarily stopped. The three combatants knew that the end was near, it was almost done.

Ichigo was slightly hunched over and panting heavily, his hair had grown out more, it was still not as long as it had been after the dangai training, two weeks was a lot less time than three months, however, it was still much longer than before. Most of his clothing had been destroyed, only small scraps remained which covered his nether regions. Small cuts were placed out over his body though he had no serious wounds, he was able to instantly heal them as soon as they came, and these smaller cuts were nothing more then a nuisance thus he left them to save energy. His blade was missing the tip and both the flat side and cutting edge of the blade were horribly jagged from all of the strikes he had intercepted over their long battle.

Oddly enough both of his spirits had their full outfits on still, though they had many tears and rips throughout which showed the heavy wounds they had been dealt over the duration of this battle. Each of them was hunched over as well, mimicking their wielder, trying to regain some composure.

" **Shit.. I really wish I had.. high-speed regeneration right about now,** " his hollow spoke between breaths.

Ichigo quirked an eyebrow at that, he had been curious about why his hollow hadn't healed any wounds after he had originally learned the technique, actually now that he thought about it, with every new technique he learned from their blades they had not used the same one again. "I've been meaning to ask, but why haven't you guys been using any of your techniques anymore?"

" _Hm? I thought you figured that out already,_ " the manifestation of his Quincy powers questioned with a curious tone, though brushed it off, it wasn't a big deal in the long run. " _As you know there were two purposes for this, the first, was to teach you the art of killing, something that we have yet to determine the success of, and the second and less important reason was so that we could finally impart all of our knowledge into you. But, we_ are _you, so really you are just taking back the knowledge that was rightfully yours in the first place. As you regain the knowledge for all of the techniques you possess we are from that point on unable to use them anymore._ "

Ichigo's eyes widened at that, it was not the answer he had been expecting, however, it made sense. Since a Zanpakuto is born from a Shinigami then logically all of that Zanpakuto's techniques would rightfully be the Shinigami's, however, Shinigami aren't ready to handle so much power all at once that is why they train and are gradually over time taught their own techniques by the Zanpakuto.

Ichigo had long since become strong enough to handle everything his Hollow and Quincy powers could teach him thus why he was able to learn it all over the past couple of weeks. While this was good, it was also a sad thing because it meant that without anything else to teach him the final lesson was nearly over, it was time for Ichigo to show them that he understood the main purpose of this fight.

He gave one final sad nod before lifting his broken blade out in front of himself, signalling that it was time to finish this. Once each half of Zangetsu rose their own blades in response Ichigo flickered from existence, the only proof he had ever been there was the sound of his modified flash step echoing throughout the world.

Shunpo, which allows the user to move at great speeds by covering vast distances in a single 'step' and Sonido, a technique akin to the Shinigami's Shunpo which allows its user to temporarily vanish from a person's senses thus making it seem like teleportation. In just two weeks Ichigo had mastered both forms of movement, combined them together and mastered that new form, it was nothing short of incredible.

So when both of their blades shattered and blood arced out from the deep new gashes on their chest before they could even finish blinking, both Zangetsu's could only give a pained but happy smile as they fell backward knowing they had succeeded, and they could fade away happily knowing Ichigo would be safe.

With one more sound high pitched static blanketed by a soft swish Ichigo was once more stood before them, blood dripping off his broken blade as it fell from his hand, time seemed to move slowly as it fell to the ground with them, their backs making contact with the rubble as his blade stuck into the earth. Immediately he was between the two of them, one of his hollows hands held in his left, and one of his Quincy's hands held in his right, he didn't care if this was sappy or whatever else they would call it, they had been with him through everything, they were the reason he had succeeded so far, he wouldn't just leave them to fade away alone.

There was a brief flash of blue reiatsu as the younger Quincy teen reverted to his older state, the 'Bankai' having receded.

A tense few moments of silence passed, none of the three really knew what to say. Ichigo was losing his Zanpakuto for good now, the hollow half of Zangetsu, while bothered about the current situation, wasn't much for sappy statements and thus was content with the silence as he slowly faded from existence. The old man and Quincy half of Zangetsu, however, looked troubled, and Ichigo was about to find out why.

" _Ichigo.._ " he started slowly, trying to find the right words, " _I never wanted you to become a Shinigami, and it was for that very reason I did everything in my power to suppress your latent potential, even going so far as to become your primary source of power._ " The old man started, all the while staring Ichigo in his eyes, immediately receiving the unspoken question of ' _Why?_ '

" _I wanted to keep you safe,_ " he answered the unspoken words. " _Becoming a Shinigami would mean risking life and limb and always exposing yourself to numerous perils, you would write in pain, experience suffering. I couldn't allow you to become a Shinigami, doing so would mean I was throwing your life away._ "

Even as tears formed in the corners of his eyes, he couldn't help but crack a joke, "heh, bet you didn't think I'd be so damn stubborn, never caring about myself." he said with a smirk.

The old man cracked one in return and let out a small chuckle, " _Indeed, as time passed you did become a Shinigami, you jumped at the chance, trained diligently, and in spite of experiencing your fair share of pain and suffering you continued down that path. All those times I saw you struggle and persevere I must admit it made my heart waiver, before I knew it, instead of trying to impede your progress all I wanted to do was help you and watch you succeed._ " The old man's voice was starting to lose its steadiness, and Ichigo was surprised to see a tear running down his cheek as he continued to talk.

" _Ichigo, you have become strong, this entire time standing next to you, I've watched proudly as you became a man, the pride I feel is indescribable, I can leave in peace knowing that you will stay safe and live on. I'm sorry that I lied to you all this time, Ichigo._ "

Ichigo couldn't believe the ridiculousness of what he had just heard, "Old man Zangetsu, you don't have anything to apologize for," Ichigo started, finding it hard to keep speaking, he was doing he best not to break down, "You just said it yourself, you wanted to protect me, I could never hold that against you, either of you," he continued, throwing a look towards his hollow who met his gaze evenly.

Ichigo couldn't help the tears that started falling down his cheeks now, this was so much harder than after the final Getsuga Tenshou, at least back then there was hope that he would see them again, but now, to be here with them as they disappeared, forced to say goodbye, he couldn't hold it in.

His eyes widened as he noticed both of their forms start becoming transparent, their bodies becoming spirit particles, "It was just as you both said after the dangai training, all you ever wanted to protect was me, and even though you won't be here physically, you will always be with me, because you ARE me, and I am Shinigami," he said first, looking between the two, "I am Hollow," he said this time meeting gazes with his white counterpart, "and, I am Quincy,' he said finally locking gazes with the old man, they both had surprised looks on their faces, his hollow more so then the old man.

Ichigo always expressed a massive hate for his hollow powers, so to hear him accept that he was part hollow, it made Zangetsu happy. The old man wasn't any less happy himself, however Ichigo didn't even know he was Quincy until just recently and even more than that, his Quincy powers had deceived him since their first meeting, to know that after everything Ichigo would still accept him so easily, it would make his passing all the more peaceful.

The young man gave each of their hands one more squeeze as both of them fully vanished from view.

His knuckles went white as he held his fists tightly together, the hands of Zangetsu no longer filling them, his eyes were screwed tightly shut even as tears continued to stream down his face, he felt an unimaginable pain within his soul, but at the same time he felt the fires of determination as well, he had meant what he said earlier, no more would he waiver, no more would he hesitate and no more would he despair.

However he would allow himself this last chance to do so, and so he stayed knelt there for who knows how long, silently letting out the cries of his soul until there were no more tears to shed and he had made as much peace with the reality of the situation as he could. He would miss them, terribly so, but they would always be with him until the day he died because they were his powers, they were him.

Clearing his head of the depressing thoughts he stood back up from his knees slowly and stretched his body once before allowing his eyes to open themselves, his destroyed inner world was gone, now he was back in that cold, black space, except this time there were small blue particles floating around his form and slowly drawing near him before disappearing on contact.

He could feel his reiatsu steadily rising with each particle that connected with him, right away he understood, this was Zangetsu returning to him, becoming one with him again, one with his power. He could have sworn he heard faint whispers of ' _release the seals_ ' and ' _true power_ ' in the back of his mind as it rose higher, the ghostly sounds of shackles clinking accompanying it. He had long since learned not to brush such things off and thus immediately set out to explore the meaning of those words.

Even though this realm he was in consisted of nothing more then darkness he still shut his eyes once more and concentrated on his reiatsu reserves, the nearly infinite pool that they were, however, he ignored what was on the surface and dug deeper, much deeper, until he reached what he would call the 'core' of his soul.

He looked on in awe at the massive multicoloured sphere of raging energy before him, black, blue and red all twisting in on each other violently, each one wanting complete domination of his soul but unable to grasp it. Surrounding the sphere of energy tightly were multiple glowing white links of chain, each one creaking in displeasure under the massive pressure they were barely succeeding in containing, right at the centre where all of the chains met was the same jagged and broken Tensa Zangetsu he had just used holding it all together.

Ichigo now understood what old man Zangetsu had meant when he talked about suppressing most of his powers.

He took one tentative step forward, the sphere pulsed excitedly in reaction, he took one more step and once again the sphere pulsed in anticipation and continued to do so until he was stood right before it, yet even once he was next to it, it didn't return to its former state, now it continued to churn violently, wishing desperately to lose the chains that bound it and explode outwards.

Slowly his hand rose to grasp the hilt and the response was immediate, a power which he hadn't felt in a long time flooded his body and threatened to overtake his soul, he couldn't help but recoil in surprise. It was a mix of the dark, heavy and instinctive power he held on the roof of Las Noches, when his hollowfied body completely dominated Ulquiorra, and it was partly the transcendent power that not even Aizen could sense which he held after the Dangai training that allowed him to destroy mountains with a small flick of his wrist.

He paused just as his hand was about to grip the hilt once more, this was a dangerous power, one that would hurt or kill many innocent people should he be unable to control it, but it was also a power he would need to protect those he cared about and so much more. Aizen was no more then a nuisance to some of the powerful beings out there, and if Ichigo were to have any chance at all against them he would need the power he had when defeating Aizen, and so much more. His eyes flicked back to the hilt that lay just below his hand and he let out a deep sigh, ' _Well, I did say I would no longer hesitate,_ ' he thought wryly to himself before grasping the blade once more and pulling.

The effect was immediate, he was once again thrust back into the blackened world however currently it was shaking tremendously with the amount of reiatsu being forced from Ichigo's body. The teen could actually see the blackness around him distorting from the sheer density of it, it was much like the first time he met his hollow and had to earn back the right to wield Zangetsu. Ichigo shook his head lightly, this was no time to reminisce, focusing every bit of the meagre amount of reiatsu control he possessed he tried to rein in at least some of this wild energy but it was no use.

Even as the teen tried to reach inside of him and pull some of it back within the confines of his soul it wouldn't slow, the reiatsu continued to rage around him. Seconds turned to minutes and no matter how hard he tried he couldn't pull it back into him, sweat dripped from his brow and his face almost hurt from how tightly it was scrunched in concentration, however, no matter how hard he tried nothing changed, ' _Dammit! Why the hell won't this stop?!_ ' he screamed internally.

He wasn't sure if releasing this much reiatsu constantly would be bad for him and at the same time that wasn't what concerned him, they small distortions in the air around him been steadily growing as his dense reiatsu burned at the atmosphere, he was no expert but he knew that if this continued it could potentially cause a rip in whatever dimension he was in right now, or even more cause permanent damage.

' _Alright calm down, getting pissed off won't fix anything,_ ' he reasoned with himself as he sat in a cross-legged position on the 'floor', truthfully he didn't know what he was sitting on. "Now then, the first step to solving a problem is admitting you have one, and I can say with utmost certainty that I have no clue whats going on right now. I can't go to the Soul Society for help, eventually they would find out my powers are back but, that's not really a headache I want to deal with right now. I could go to Takama-ga-hara, however, I don't really want to destroy that beautiful world, not to mention Amaterasu probably thinks I'm dead right now and even though I survived there is a high chance she will kill me just for worrying her so much. A mother's love can be a dangerous thing," he couldn't help but shudder at that.

"I could go to Hat n' Clogs, but that might put the humans in danger if I do, his underground training room can conceal a lot of reiatsu, however, I don't know if it could honestly hold mine right now." Ichigo sighed in frustration as he ran a hand through his long and very dirty hair, in the past two weeks of constant fighting he had sweat a lot and been covered in no small amount of dust and dirt, he could really use a shower he noted with some distaste. It wasn't that he had a problem with being dirty per say, just that it sucked to feel so filthy when he was sat here doing nothing.

A couple more minutes passed in silent consideration, the young man just sat there playing with a few strands of his hair as his reiatsu continued to destabilize the world around him, he may not have appeared so on the outside but inwardly he was still very much panicking, he just had no clue who to go to for help right now. Then it hit him, ' _Ryujin Jakka,_ ' that name brought a frown to his mouth, he had already been planning on paying that Zanpakuto a visit once more, not necessarily to try and wield him, but just to talk once more.

Also there was no questioning the Zanpakuto's knowledge so he would most likely be able to help, thankfully Ryujin he had already brought him to his own inner world thus he could easily travel there again with his ability to manipulate the Schatten Bereich, one of the more useful abilities he had gotten from his Quincy spirit if he was being honest.

The old man actually told him that few Quincy were able to fully manipulate the Schatten Bereich like he could, and he should feel lucky as it was far superior to both the Shinigami's Senkaimon as well as the Hollow's Garganta. As long as he had been somewhere once and could clearly picture where it was he wished to go the only limitation would be if there was actually a shadow in that nearby vicinity for him to emerge from.

Sighing _again_ he stood up, he was really not looking forward to this but it needed to be done. He crouched down on one knee, setting his palm flatly on the ground, he didn't have enough control yet to just will the shadows to follow his command, so for now, he would have to do it the simple way. Grasping onto the darkness below him he stood slowly pulling the shadow up with him until it was tall enough to step through, he gave himself one quick nod, hoping he did this correctly before stepping through. As soon as he stepped into the black world, it immediately stopped shaking. That was another benefit of the Quincy Shadow, it allowed for 'quick escapes' so to speak, you could open one immediately upon finding a shadow to exit from at your destination, and they were undetectable unlike the Senkaimon or Garganta.

* * *

~ Realm of Fire and Ash

Ryujin Jakka, the oldest and most powerful fire type Zanpakuto, and arguably the most powerful Zanpakuto in all of history was not one which startled easily. He had seen many of things in his thousands of years of life. He had been present for the creation of the Shinigami Spirit Academy and Yamamoto's years as a teacher, then his eventual founding of the Gotei 13 where he had served as Captain Commander for a thousand years now. He had been present for many happy and sad moments, times of great frustration of anger as well as many great atrocities that were now told about in history classes. His blade had been the cause of many large genocides, most notably the mass extermination of the Quincy some two hundred years ago, and the great Quincy war another eight hundred before that.

It was not easy being the Captain Commander, often times you have to make decisions that you may not like, that may put you in a bad light with your subordinates however that is the downfall of holding such a position. All your life your good deeds will be overlooked by the bad, and when you die you will be remembered more for the terrible things you did instead of the good that came from those same terrible acts. Shigekuni is the perfect example of this, but that is the sad reality of positions of power.

Ryujin Jakka let out a tired almost sad sigh, it was time to go back to sleep it seemed. He was glad to have been wielded by Shigekuni, and he didn't hold any ill will towards the man for being unable to use his power much over the past years. But, he was a Zanpakuto like all others and he wished for his power to be used, that was why he had contacted Ichigo Kurosaki immediately upon the child's arrival in the higher planes. He would admit the prospect of being wielded once more thrilled him, it was a shame that things ended the way they did.

As he was about to fall back into his hibernation-like state he felt an odd sensation behind him, it was one he hadn't felt since Shigekuni fought Yhwach all those years ago, he actually tensed upon seeing that all to familiar shadow rise from the ground, such a thing shouldn't be possible, yet here it was. Not but a few seconds later a crushing reiatsu pressed down on the land around him, The once flowing lava seemed to still in place and some of the more fragile rocks crumbled under the immense pressure. It wasn't enough to make Ryujin Jakka kneel, but he would admit that most Captains save the elder four would probably be on one knee right now or at the very least trying to keep their breath steady.

The most shocking thing, however, and that which made him open his eyes in shock was the person this reiatsu belonged too, the same one which stepped out of the Schatten Bereich right before his eyes. " _Ichigo Kurosaki?_ " he asked, his usual monotone voice laced with confusion.

* * *

~ With Ichigo, A few moments prior

Upon stepping into the shadows Ichigo scoffed at the scenery, he exchanged one black world for another. Old man Zangetsu's knowledge of the technique didn't really tell him much about the shadows themselves, just that you were to keep walking until you reached your rough destination. The opposite side would open up for you automatically with the shadow nearest to your desired location, it was basically the Garganta except for no dangerous path which would kill you should you fall off.

After a very boring couple moment walk, he could feel the heat rise drastically as he was once again stood inside that world of fire and ash. He could see Ryujin Jakka a few feet away from him, staring at him like he had a second head, it was actually pretty interesting seeing another emotion on the stoic's spirits face.

" _Ichigo Kurosaki?_ " he heard the Zanpakuto call out to him.

"Yo, Ryujin Jakka," Ichigo replied, holding up his right hand in a gesture of hello. The teen's voice was flat, but not in a threatening manner.

Ichigo wanted to crack a smirk as the face of the spirit took on an even stronger look of bafflement, clearly, he had not been expecting to see the orange haired teen ever again. He also knew he had to play this cautiously though, even though Ryujin didn't have muscles per say he could still see the spirit tensed, while he didn't seem to be affected by the vast amounts of reiatsu Ichigo was letting out this also could be seen as an act of hostilities, ' _and all because I can't control my power.. Hat n' Clogs would probably be laughing at me right now if I went to him._ '

" _I had assumed you were dead, this is quite a surprise. You are.. far stronger since the last time we met, have you come to fight me?_ " the Zanpakuto asked, its facial expression and voice having gone back to normal.

Ichigo scoffed at that, "Yeah.. well lets just say it's harder to kill me then most people think," he then paused before continuing, taking on a more sheepish look, "As for your question, no, I didn't come here to fight, I came here for your help."

Ryujin didn't respond, so Ichigo took it as a sign to continue. "As you probably noticed I got a slight power up for lack of a better term, however, I- I can't suppress it for some reason and I couldn't risk putting innocent's in danger from being to close to my reiatsu, so I came here." Ichigo wanted to hit himself, he felt like such an ass. All this power and he has so little control that he has to ask someone who almost killed him just two weeks ago for help.

" _I understand, and you wish to ask me why you cannot contain it?_ " he asked, receiving a nod in return.

Ichigo looked curiously as Ryujin's posture straightened and his hands clasped themselves together behind his back, if he had to describe it he would say that the elder Zanpakuto looked like one of those old teachers you would see in an anime, it was.. odd, to say the least.

Taking a deep breath, the Zanpakuto began it's short lecture, " _A good way to describe someone's soul, is that they are very porous, each person has many small holes that constantly release and absorb energy from your surroundings. When one learns to suppress their reiatsu they are essentially blocking off those holes so that no reiatsu can enter or escape your soul._ "

" _Now then, first I would like you to imagine your soul as a dam, with the water inside representing your powers, once you have that picture in your mind I want you to imagine that it is raining over this dam, this is your soul replenishing it's reiatsu. But, if you only absorbed energy and never released it back out you would quite simply explode, I believe that Kisuke Urahara attempted to kill Sosuke Aizen in this fashion. So to keep this from happening your dam has many small holes around its perimeter which release the water inside so that it doesn't overflow._ "

Seeing that Ichigo was following along he continued, " _A Shinigami's main form of combat is with their Zanpakuto, their Zanpakuto is also the main way in which they channel their reiatsu. So, with that said I would now like you to imagine that one of your dam's walls has a large floodgate on it, this gate will represent your Zanpakuto. When it is closed, your Zanpakuto is in it's sealed state, when you release Shikai, the dam will partially open, and upon releasing Bankai, your dam's gate will fully open. Now tell me, what would happen should someone lose their Zanpakuto?_ "

Ichigo didn't even need to answer, he understood what Ryujin was getting at, it probably wasn't a good time to think of such things but Ichigo would admit that the Zanpakuto spirit was a really good teacher. He let out a small sigh and fell ungracefully onto the rock behind him, resting his elbows on his knees so that he could hold his head in his hands. ' _What a pain._ '

A few moments passed in complete silence, Ichigo was content to just think to himself for the time being, and thankfully Ryujin seemed to be in no rush to kick him out, for now at least. Now Ichigo wasn't stupid, he did realize that there was a potential Zanpakuto stood right in front of him, he just wasn't sure how he wanted to approach such a thing. He had failed Ryujin Jakka's test once and was deemed unworthy by said spirit, but he understood what it was that Ryujin was testing him for now and he was sure he met the criteria.

He wasn't an overly prideful person but the thought of essentially asking for a second chance rubbed him the wrong way, and he didn't necessarily want to just attack him either and prove his strength with violence.

He knew Ryujin obviously wasn't stupid either, and would already know what was running through his mind, so it seemed like the best course of action was to get a feel for Ryujin Jakka's state of mind right now. Removing his head from his hands and straightening his posture he met gazes with the spirit before speaking, trying to keep his tone as neutral as possible. "So basically, unless I can get another Zanpakuto to plug the dam so to speak I'll be stuck in a permanent Bankai like state and pose a threat to all those I wish to protect just by being near them?" he asked with a raised brow.

" _Correct._ " was the simple reply he got in return, however, he could see light tones of curiosity and amusement in the eyes of the spirit.

' _It seems I won't be able to fool him,_ ' the orange haired teen mused to himself as he stood up once more, his gaze not leaving the strongest Zanpakuto's for even a second. He held his right hand out a little to his side and once more the broken Tensa Zangetsu materialized in his hand, it was in even worse shape then he remembered. Looking back up to see how Ryujin would respond he couldn't help the small smirk that cracked his lips when a purple-hilted Katana materialized itself in the Zanpakuto's hands in a burst of flame.

The air trembled briefly and the next second Ichigo was shocked stiff as another immense pressure came crashing down on everything around him. The very ground they stood on shattered instantly, molten lava floated in the air around slowly falling back to the ground, almost like it was moving through quicksand. Ichigo couldn't help but shake his head in amazement at how easily and quickly Ryujin Jakka had matched his reiatsu level, ' _I'm really glad I never had to fight the old man, Amaterasu did say Ryujin Jakka was powerful but this.. this is crazy._ '

He shook his head lightly as his leg muscles tensed, Ryujin Jakka matching his movements in front of him, ' _I almost wish I was going up against Aizen again. Almost._ ' And, with that final thought he pushed off, bringing his blade down in a two-handed overhead slash, when his blade connected with that of Ryujin's a small orb of energy formed at the point of contact before abruptly releasing, indenting the ground below them even further and sending a powerful shock wave over the land.

Ichigo's and Ryujin's eyes never once left each other even as their own reiatsu levels continued to rise and the world around them fell further into chaos. Ichigo couldn't help but wince when he heard his black blade chip further, the silver one of Ryujin Jakka cutting halfway through it, but, even still his eyes never left Ryujin's.

Finally, after some of the tensest seconds of Ichigo's life, the standstill ended, Ryujin putting more force into his upwards swing forced Ichigo backwards, then, much to the young mans relief, he let his blade dissipate back into flames, " _Interesting, Ichigo Kurosaki.. it seems you understood after all._ "

Ichigo could help the excitement he felt when a pillar of fire erupted from the ground before him, dimming back down seconds later to reveal the purple-hilted Katana that he knew to be the representation of Ryujin Jakka. He gave a long look down at the familiar blade in his hands, it would most like be the last time he would ever see it, however, it didn't matter to him, ' _Zangetsu is me, even if he is no longer physically with me._ ' he let the black blade dissipate and slowly, very slowly reached out for the purple hilt, he could feel an immense heat coming from it, ' _look forward, move forward and never stop, if you pull back you'll age, if you hesitate, you'll die._ ' and he grasped it.

Immediately he was flooded with warmth, a comforting warmth, he glanced back up at Ryujin Jakka and he seemed slightly tense, his eyes screamed of excitement, Ryujin was waiting for something, and Ichigo wouldn't disappoint. Pulling the blade from the ground he held it out diagonally in front of himself and spoke the words that would signify change and the next big chapter in his life.

"Reduce all creation to ash, Ryujin Jakka."

* * *

~ A/N:

 **And that's that. I wanted to put more in this chapter as far as other characters went but as I wrote the scenes with Ichigo, Zangetsu, the old man and Ryujin they just kept getting longer and longer and so I decided to keep this all as one chapter and then the next other characters will come in again.**

 **As for the end, I know some people are going to think he got Ryujin's blade a little too easy but try and think of it like this. Ryujin Jakka has power, he doesn't need anymore. When he chooses a wielder I don't think he cares how strong they are because he will make anyone incredibly strong, to me he would care more about the mental state of the person. He would want someone who had matured, who understood the truth's of the world, and that understood that if you really want to survive and protect what you wish to protect, you need to fight with the intent to harm and kill. If you fight with the intent to just knockout your opponent you will be hindering yourself and you will either lose the fight or win but at a heavy cost.**

 **One of the other readers that I talked to said it perfectly. They said "Ryujin Jakka is literally like the apocalypse in a sword," and I agree completely. If Ichigo isn't mature enough then even if he gets Ryujin's blade he will injure and or kill a lot of people due to his lack of understanding and control.**

 **A side note. If you want to know what his Shunpo sounds like then re-watch his fight with Ginjo during the fullbring arc, that's the model I'm going for. It was a mix of high pitched static like Sonido and a soft swishing like Shunpo which is perfect for him. Also, I would like some opinions on his outfit, I will be keeping the Shinigami theme for Ichigo but I want it to be unique, Should he have the regular Shinigami garb with a haori over top or maybe should he have a similar coat to his old Bankai?**

 **If you have any thoughts on the chapter than feel free to leave a review, I'm always looking to improve my writing and so constructive feedback is appreciated. If you have any questions then feel free to message me, I always reply when I can.**

 **\- Vertius**


	5. Chapter 5

**Hello again! It's been a while, no I haven't disappeared and no this story isn't abandoned. At the end of this chapter in the authors note I will tell you why there was such a long wait for this chapter as well as some other information, so if you guys want to hear that then make sure to check out the authors note at the end of it. But, for now, enjoy chapter 5!**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own Bleach, Highschool DXD, nor any of their respective characters.**

* * *

Guardian of the Dead

\- Chapter 5 -

~ ORC Club Room, Kuoh Academy

Each of the members of the Occult Research Club, who also made up the current pieces of Rias' peerage were sat quietly, their eyes briefly scanning the hunched form of their King as she let out another long sigh. Just a couple days prior she was called in for an emergency meeting with her brother, one of the four current Devil Kings of Hell, and that alone was cause for concern considering the whole deal with Riser and her arranged marriage they had just finished dealing with.

Upon returning the next day she had visible stress lines around her eyes and it looked like she hadn't gotten a wink of sleep that night. This was how she stayed for the past couple of days, just sitting at her desk lost in thought, unaware of the worried gazes that lingered on her. Akeno, her queen, had attempted to talk to her but was quickly turned away saying the time wasn't right yet, and thus the tense atmosphere continued. Not even Issei, who's perversion was rivalled by none dared to make unnecessary trouble right now.

Finally, after much waiting Rias shifted in her seat, back straightening again before briefly locking gazes with each of those present, her eyes not doing anything to hide the seriousness of the situation. Sucking in a deep breath and taking a brief second to collect her thoughts she started. "Everyone, as you know the fallen angels have been moving about in secret for the past few weeks stirring up trouble and causing concern to rise within the higher-ups of the three factions," she started, earning small nods from everyone and a troubled look from Akeno.

"Thankfully, they don't believe that any of this is Azazel's doing, most likely it's just one of his subordinates who is leading a small group of rebel Fallen Angels against his will for purposes still unknown, but, for quite some time now he has been very elusive and hard to contact, and while this kind of behaviour isn't exactly abnormal for him, the timing of it all is what the higher ups are worried about," she paused momentarily, letting that information sink in, this was a fairly serious matter, however, nothing compared to what she had to say next. It seemed that Kiba caught on as well.

"President, while I agree that is a serious matter, to me it doesn't warrant the vast amount of stress you have been displaying recently," the blond-haired knight stated, concern clear in his voice.

Rias gave a sort of crooked smile at his comment, she was proud of his intelligence, however, she couldn't find it in herself to truly be happy right now, "You're right, the topic I discussed with my brother recently was of a completely different matter. The Shinto Faction, lead by the Shinto Trinity, the Goddess of the Sun, Amaterasu, the God of the Moon, Tsukuyomi, and the God of the Sea and Storms, Susanoo, have long since kept to themselves, not actively partaking in the happenings of the world. However, roughly a couple years ago they emerged from seclusion and started slowly remaking connections with the various factions of this world."

"Um, President?" Issei spoke up signalling that he had a question, upon seeing her nod at him he continued, "Why do the Shinto keep to themselves? Being led by three God's means they probably pretty strong right? Wouldn't it be better if they played a big part in the supernatural?"

Rias gave a soft chuckle at that, Issei always had such a broad and optimistic view about everything, it was honestly kind of refreshing, "Very strong is an understatement, Issei. Tsukuyomi and Susanoo aren't called God's just for the heck of it, their power is incredible, and Amaterasu is said to be someone who trumps even both of them. As for why they keep to themselves I cannot say. It's rumoured that only a handful of people know the true reason why they do so."

"You said they only started to reemerge a couple years ago, why did they do so? Something major must have happened to make them, right?" Kiba asked, causing each of his fellow peerage members too perked up, they too were curious about this.

"Unfortunately, no one knows the answer to that either, the Trinity is very reclusive," she replied with a sort of apologetic look although it quickly changed back to one of seriousness. "The current problem, however, strives from the Shinto Faction, the Shinto and Devils have never had a close relationship, more of a neutral one only for the sake of maintaining peace. Regrettably, ever since their re-emergence the relationship between them and us has been on a small but steady decline," she paused after that, almost not wanting to continue, the members of her peerage weren't stupid they could already tell where Rias was going with this.

"To make matters worse a few months ago things took a sharp turn downwards and until two weeks ago they had been deteriorating rapidly. I say until two weeks ago because about that time they abruptly cut off all contact with us again, and the other factions aren't saying anything definitive either."

"Because we are devils..?" the white-haired nekomata asked this time.

Rias couldn't really deny her statement, it wasn't a secret that the Devils weren't a favourite faction among the rest of the world, even still no one would start any trouble with them because of the power they once held. They, much like everyone else suffered mass casualties due to the Great War happening, because of that they only possessed a fraction of their once great power, there were only two super devils left and a small amount of high tier ultimate class devils. Sure the former Dragon King Tannin was on their side but really that wasn't enough to make them untouchable again.

"Well that's partly it, however from what our intelligence group has gathered it seems as if the Shinto have cut off everyone and not just us, so I suppose that's something to be hopeful about," she finally answered.

"But the negatives still outweigh the positives, right?" Akeno spoke this time, voice sullen, a tone which Rias' matched.

"Yes, it's unfortunate but my brother and the rest of the three Satan's believe that very soon a war will break out between the Devils and the Shinto Faction, if this does happen it is likely that the Devils will be completely wiped out," this statement was followed by many sharp intakes of breath, her peerage could tell that the situation was bad, but this?

"W-wiped out?!" the current Red Dragon Emperor squeaked out, a look of fear and panic evident on his face.

"That's what my brother told me, yes," in truth Rias herself was quite stricken by fear however she couldn't show it, not to her peerage members at the least because in most cases she was the one who saved them and thus they looked to her for strength, if she gave into the fear then they would have no hope to hold onto.

"It's not that I distrust his judgment, but surely the Shinto Trinity alone cannot overpower all of the Devil Faction, right?" Kiba spoke up, a contemplative look on his face, something wasn't adding up. He knew that the Devil's were a lot weaker then their former state however Super Devils could be considered power wise in the top fifteen, maybe even top ten of the supernatural, and with two of them in the Devil Faction surely they couldn't be overpowered so easily.

"I don't really know, my brother was being very elusive on the subject. It seemed like he was hiding something, but I can't just force him to talk," before she could say anymore a small flash of Red took over the area in which they were all seated, drawing all attention towards Issei's left arm, where the boosted gear now sat.

[ **It goes without saying that the Trinity alone couldn't single handily defeat the Devils. Sirzechs Lucifer and Ajuka Beelzebub while in their true forms can both be considered as part of the top ten strongest in this world and as powerful as Tsukuyomi and Susanoo are, they cannot defeat a Super Devil.**

 **Amaterasu, however, is a truly frightening woman, she is the only one who could defeat a Super Devil though it is unlikely that she could defeat the both of them, and even if she somehow managed too she would lose her life in the process, something that in the long run wouldn't be worth it.** ]

"..then why are they so adamant that we would lose?" Koneko asked.

[ **Hmm, well the diplomatic answer would be that most of the factions in this world would side with the Shinto over the Devils if both were to go to war, and while that is true to an extent, it isn't the real reason the four Satan's fear extinction.** ]

Rias stiffened at that, understanding the meaning behind the Red Dragon's words, "So what's the undiplomatic reason?"

There was a small moment where Ddraig did not speak, only a small hum could be heard coming from the gauntlet, it was obvious to the young devils that this wasn't something they were really allowed to hear and Ddraig was most likely weighing the positives and negatives of telling them.

A deep grumble could be heard from the gauntlet as the Dragon of Domination finally made its choice and prepared to speak again. [ **Normally I wouldn't disclose such things as it's not my place to do so, but since my current partner is a Devil I believe that it cannot be helped,** ] Ddraig started, now knowing he had the utmost attention from those present, he wouldn't be able to say everything, but he would give enough to hopefully help their chances of survival in the coming months.

[ **This is a story from about three millennia ago before I had been slain and sealed and was still dominating the skies as a true Heavenly Dragon. It is common knowledge that Dragon's are prideful and arrogant creatures, and as a Heavenly Dragon, knowing that my power was surpassed only by the Divine Pair.. well quite simply it made me a lot worse than a regular Dragon, my arrogance knew no bounds.** ]

[ **I had been flying around what is now known to be modern-day Japan terrorizing the lands and the animals which inhabited them, all for the sole purpose of goading the Shinto Trinity into battling me.** ] There was a small lull in the story at that point, Ddraig could sense the incredulous looks that were being shot his way and in truth it was making him feel slightly bashful. He would never have done so in his younger days but now he would admit he had been rather foolish back then.

[ **Ahem.. anyways, it didn't work exactly as I had hoped it would, but in the end, I cannot say I was disappointed with the outcome. I was met with an unknown man who wore a black Kimono and a white Haori, and at his waist was a simple, purple-hilted Katana. Of course, upon his arrival I immediately disregarded him believing him unworthy of my attention, however, what happened after that I will forever remember.** ]

".. what happened?" Issei asked, completely entranced by Ddraig's tale.

The Red Dragon Emperor let out a small chuckle before responding, [ **What happened? We fought. We fought recklessly, without care for our surroundings or ourselves, we fought with every ounce of power we had. I couldn't believe it, myself a Heavenly Dragon, and this unknown human who wielder fire hotter then any I had ever felt before were fighting as equals.** ]

Ddraig paused after that, letting everything sink in, he could feel the looks of absolute shock and astonishment on each of their faces. A Heavenly Dragons power was something that only the crazy would wish to fight. And, to now hear of this mysterious man who fought toe to toe with Ddraig and even made him feel fear caused a haunting chill to run up the spines of everyone in the room. It was but a reminder how insignificant they truly were in this world.

"So what happened after that?!" Kiba asked, his tone did nothing to hide his amazement.

[ **Well, fortunately, or unfortunately depending on how you look at it we were unable to finish. Amaterasu herself interrupted the fight calling the man back, I demanded to know who he was and how he was affiliated with the Shinto, my pride as a Dragon would never allow such a worthy warrior to remain nameless. She told me, and it was at that moment that I learned of the existence of the Shinto's recently formed 'Royal Guard' of which that man was a part of.** ]

[ **It is the mystery behind this so-called Royal Guard that brings fear not only to the Devils but every other faction who knows of its existence. To have that one man alone who can fight on par with a Heavenly Dragon is enough to cause worry, however, it is the fact that there could very well be more people just as strong or stronger than him that the factions cannot take a risk on. Imagine if they had even twenty soldiers at that level of strength? The Devil race as a whole would be gone and erased from existence in no more than a day.** ]

Silence enveloped the room, Rias and the members of her peerage were trying to wrap there heads around the story they had just been told and the implications of it. They could only nod dumbly when Ddraig spoke up once more, telling them of the importance of keeping what they had just heard a secret.

* * *

~ Soul Society: One month after Ichigo's disappearance

Yamamoto couldn't help but let out a long sigh, one that went unnoticed by the various Captain's and Lieutenants filling out the meeting hall. For the past twenty minutes or so they had been bickering amongst themselves about the unknown whereabouts of Ichigo Kurosaki and what immediate measures should be taken to find him. It had already been a month since the boy vanished from the human world, well vanished to those who didn't know where to look.

Yamamoto himself was one of the few who knew the truth of this world and thus had always known where the boy was. However, it was because of his knowledge and connection to the higher planes that he found out about the boy's unfortunate death at the hands of his very own Zanpakuto a short while ago. Unfortunately, due to the need of secrecy, he was unable to tell anyone else what had actually happened which lead to the currently heated discussion from his most talented officers of how to find the currently deceased young man.

Gazing onto the faces of all those present he could see fire and passion burning deep within their souls, even the Captain's and Lieutenants who had yet to really talk with Ichigo Kurosaki and get to know him were demanding that search teams be sent throughout all the three worlds. It was incredible to Yamamoto the amount of loyalty that young man had inspired in all those he met. Even the formerly two coldest members of the Soul Society, Byakuya Kuchiki and SoiFon were actively participating in this conversation and had been since the announcement of his disappearance.

It brought a pang of sadness to his heart knowing the unfortunate truth of the situation, no matter how hard they looked they would never find him again. Nonetheless, until the news was broken through Kisuke Urahara, Yamamoto would have to play the part of a concerned Commander who wished to find Ichigo Kurosaki as well.

Thus, deciding that the discussion had become a little too heated he hefted his cane up and tapped it lightly on the ground immediately bringing silence to the room and drawing all attention to him. "I agree that finding Ichigo Kurosaki is our top priority, however, right now our options are limited. Kurotsuchi-taichou has been closely monitoring the three worlds and has yet to pick up anything out of the ordinary. I believe our first course of action should be making contact with Kisuke Urahara. He has feigned ignorance so far but I believe he may know something." Multiple nods of agreement quickly met that statement, it would be far more unbelievable to everyone if Urahara _didn't_ actually have something to do with this whole situation.

"Do I have any volunteers to head to the world of the living and meet with him?" and just as expected, there were quite a few hands that went up in the air. Yamamoto had to choose carefully in case the truth were to come out during this meeting, it would have to be someone who could keep a level head even if told the unfortunate news about the young man. For that reason alone SoiFon was already out, Yamamoto could see the sadistic glee in her eyes, and she would probably beat on Urahara even if the boy was alive.

' _Kuchiki-taichou and Hitsugaya-taichou would be good for this reason, they have experience in the world of the living as well. Then again, Shunsui had actually grown very close to Ichigo Kurosaki during the months he was a Shinigami, perhaps it would be alright to send him instead. This could also be somewhat of a tricky situation, having someone like Shunsui there could be beneficial in more ways than one,_ ' he thought to himself, quickly pondering the many scenarios that could play out, normally a Captain of Shunsui's level wouldn't be sent to the human world unless it was to fight, but this case was unique. Nodding to himself he tapped his cane once more on the floor, ready to give his orders.

"These are my orders as Captain Commander of the Gotei 13. Upon dismissal of this meeting, Kyoraku-taichou is to make preparations for departure into the human world as soon as possible, upon arrival you are to make contact with Kisuke Urahara and try to ascertain the location of Ichigo Kurosaki, and using your own judgment you are to determine if he is telling the truth or not. After completing this task you will return to the Soul Society where another meeting will be held to discuss your findings."

It was disappointing for some of the Captains and Lieutenants to hear they wouldn't be allowed to go, mostly for those who were closest to Ichigo, and it was a little surprising that Kyoraku was picked if they were being honest, but their Captain Commander was no fool and always had a reason for doing the things that he did, so everyone would go along with it easily enough.

Tapping the floor once more he dismissed the meeting, allowing everyone to leave and return to their divisions except for Kyoraku who he asked to stay behind for a moment.

The easygoing Captain of the eighth division looked curiously at his teacher. Shunsui found it odd that he was being sent on this mission, normally someone of his level wouldn't be selected for missions in the human world unless it was for a fight against an opponent no ordinary Captain could match., the battle for the fake Karakura Town quickly entered his mind at the thought. "What's going on, Yama-jii?"

"Shunsui, I have no the time to discuss it deeply right now, however, I will be having a discussion with both you and Jushiro at a later time, for now, please just do as I'm about to ask without question," Yamamoto stated, drawing an even more suspicious look from Kyoraku, but, he could see that his student had quickly accepted the situation, and after seeing a nod he continued.

"I believe that I already know what has happened to Ichigo Kurosaki, and it is not a good fate. While my theory may be true it still needs to be confirmed and thus you are the one I have chosen for this task. When you meet with Kisuke Urahara do not ask too many questions, just ascertain the fate of Ichigo Kurosaki and return. Upon returning come straight to my office, do not stop for anyone and do not tell anyone of what you have learned before speaking to me, is that clear?"

Now Shunsui really knew something was up, but he trusted Yama-jii and thus would do as instructed, with a small nod to his teacher he turned and headed right for the Senkaimon. He had no need to detour at his division, asides from a lack of power Nanao was already Captain material, she could effortlessly keep everything functioning without instruction from him.

* * *

~ Human World, Inoue's Home

Today was the day that the Karakura group would be heading back to the Urahara shop, it had been a month since Ichigo disappeared and two weeks since they had been given some information on the subject. It's no secret that they would've liked more, but, they could also understand that some things cannot be said to just anyone and in terms of the supernatural pecking order, they were pretty far down on the list.

The group today only consisted of Inoue, Tatsuki, Chad, and Ishida. Chizuru, Keigo, and Mizuiro who went with them to the Urahara Shop the first time decided that it wasn't really someplace meant for humans like them, thus they would let the supernatural members of their circle of friends do their thing, and when they found out information about Ichigo they would share it with everyone else. Tatsuki was the one exception to this, while she too held fear for that shopkeeper and would be damned if she let herself get on his bad side she refused to be left behind again.

She understood that she was just a normal human, and her Karate skills alone wouldn't have helped anyone in the battles the Karakura team fought, so she was no longer angry that she was kept out of the loop for so long, but now that she could play a more active part, she wouldn't be left behind.

She had already been considering asking that shopkeeper if there was anything she could do to get stronger, even if it was only to protect Karakura town from basic hollows she would be happy, she just wanted to do something. Moreover, she had a nagging feeling in the pit of her stomach that Ichigo wouldn't be coming back. Obviously, she didn't suspect that he would die, it was more along the lines of him becoming a permanent member of the Soul Society where he could play a more active part in improving the world.

She knew Ichigo very well, and she could tell right after he'd lost his powers that he wasn't happy, no matter how much he acted otherwise. After experiencing the world that he did, and having a taste of the immense power that he had, the power to protect, she knew he would never want to go back to being normal.

It was for this reason that she hoped Inoue would move on soon, they just weren't compatible. Inoue was bound by the laws of mortals and would die after living her human life, it may be a bit longer than normal due to her abilities but nonetheless, she will die eventually and there will be no guarantee she will keep her memories when she passes onto the Soul Society. On the other hand, Ichigo will get his powers back long before he dies a mortal death, and when he does, and furthermore becomes a Shinigami once again he will live for a very, very long time.

Tatsuki had been told a lot about the Soul Society, souls and just generally how it all worked, and if Ichigo was as ridiculously strong as Inoue, Chad and Ishida said he was then he would be alive for far longer than any of them. A relationship between one person who is bound by mortal laws and will live for maybe a hundred years at most, and an already dead person who will live for hundreds if not thousands of years would never work, and that was something that Inoue needed to realize already.

Tatsuki scoffed to herself, ' _and wasn't that a shock to hear?_ ' That damn Ichigo's already been dead for almost two years now, who would've guessed?' it wasn't too surprising that she freaked out when that bit of information was told to her. For him to give up his mortal life to save someone he had only known for a couple months was ludicrous to her, but after hearing the impact that Rukia had on his world she really could understand it.

Glancing up from her place on the couch she gained a look of pity upon spotting Chad and Inoue on the other side of the room chatting. Well Inoue was talking at a thousand miles per minute and judging by her wide and random arm gestures it was a pretty _interesting_ story she was telling, and poor Chad looked like his brain would stop functioning at any moment. The gentle giant was desperately trying to keep up with the active imagination of Inoue.

Letting a small smirk find it's way onto her face she looked towards the other occupant of the room, Ishida, who seemed completely oblivious to what was going on right now, a look of serious contemplation on his face. Normally Tatsuki would pass it off, everyone knew that Ishida was a very serious person and often a stick in the mud, however, there was a sort of grim undertone in his eyes that made her want to ask what was up.

Leaning forwards slowly as not to draw Inoue or Chad's attention she spoke under her breath to him, "Oi, Ishida, whats wrong with you?"

His eyes briefly widened at the sound of her voice, he had been very deep in thought. He met her gaze briefly, trying to get a feel for her current mood, she liked to tease him a lot about how serious he was and thus he wished to make sure this wasn't another one of those times before acknowledging her. He noted happily that her gaze was completely serious for once. In truth there wasn't anything wrong so to speak, "I may just be over-thinking but I've had an ominous feeling poking at the back of my mind for quite some time, that's all."

Tatsuki merely nodded in acceptance, one thing she learned from Inoue's lessons was that people with above normal amounts of reiryoku had a sort of extra sense to detect when things aren't quite right in the supernatural world, she herself wasn't at that level so she had no way of knowing what Ishida was talking about, however, she knew that the Quincy wasn't one to mess around when it came to serious matters and thus would trust him when he said something was off.

Before she could respond Inoue spoke out to the room, it looked like her story was finished – much to the apparent happiness of Chad – and they would be heading out now towards that scary shopkeeper's place.

The walk wasn't too long, as the group of four closed in on the candy store it was easy to see signs of unease marring their faces. There was such an oppressive and depressing aura practically oozing from the Urahara Shop and it turned what was supposed to be a positive outing in which they would get an update on their friend into something much worse.

After opening the front doors to the shop and hearing the familiar chime of a bell which alerted the Urahara Shop employees that they had a customer they could here a small shuffling sound in the back and clumsy footsteps which got closer with each passing second. When the door leading to the front of the store opened revealing a tired and dishevelled looking Urahara, the four teens felt their hearts sink, something was wrong.

* * *

~ Soul Society

Shunsui Kyoraku was one of the friendliest and most easygoing Captains in the Seireitei and was very easy to approach, it didn't matter if you were from his division or not, anyone was welcome to come up to him to ask a question or for his advice. However being arguably the second strongest Captain under the Captain Commander himself coupled with his older age and vast wisdom meant that he was often given tasks by the Captain Commander or Central 46 that no other Captains could handle except for him, and it was very easy to tell when he was on a special task, and the wide space that all the other Shinigami were keeping around him was proof of that.

Gone was his lazy and slouched form, now he was walking with purpose at his full height, his sakkat was tilted down covering his eyes, his mouth remained visible though if you caught a glimpse of it you would just see a thin line, and finally both of his sealed blades were sat on his left hip meaning that right now there was business to be done and Kyoraku would complete his task with the utmost seriousness.

' _I believe that I already know what has happened to Ichigo Kurosaki, and it is not a good fate._ ' Kyoraku's mood darkened further as that same line continually ran in his head. Just what the hell was going on that Yama-jii knew and no one else did? Had Ichigo been taken by a supernatural force that he was unaware of? If yes, then why? It was more than possible that Ichigo had made his own fair share of enemies during his short time as a Shinigami, however, there should be no hollows capable of entering the human world without Soul Society knowing, and with the heavy surveillance they kept Ichigo under the thought of his getting abducted was just too unlikely.

Could it have been a Quincy? Kyoraku wanted to instantly deny the possibility but he was no fool, and he knew that there was always a possibility. The moment Yama-jii failed to kill Yhwach all those years ago opened up the possibility that he could return, of course, it was highly unlikely, but still, the possibility remained.

Even then, Kyoraku didn't think a Quincy had something to do with it, but if it wasn't hollow nor Quincy then what? Clearly, Yamamoto and Urahara had some idea, was there another race out there that only select few were allowed to know about? It would certainly make sense as the Captain Commander would be allowed to know things normal Shinigami wouldn't be, and clearly, Urahara much like Aizen had ways of finding out about things that they probably weren't supposed to, so he could understand that. Now that only rose the question of who or what it was that took Ichigo, and what had happened to him.

Honestly, Shunsui felt like he had become somewhat of an uncle to the brash teenager that stormed the supposedly impenetrable fortress of Seireitei with only a couple humans and a cat all those months ago. And, to think that the young man with so much heart could be dead, it brought a feeling up in Shunsui that he hadn't felt in a long time, and one he did not enjoy.

As he approached the Senkaimon he gave a brief nod to the two guards on each side, only stopping briefly for the gates to crack open wide enough for him to step through. Once he was inside the dangai he stepped up the pace, going fast enough to close the distance between the gate to the human world within seconds but not fast enough to actually use Shunpo as using reiatsu in the dangai was equivalent to a death sentence.

Upon breaking through to the other side he didn't even pause before flickering from existence, there was nothing for him to look at anyways. The air in the Soul Society was much cleaner, and while the large buildings in the human world were interesting Kyoraku found the scenery in the Soul Society to be much for favourable to him and as such had no need to gaze around. He had come out a fair distance from the Urahara Shop but with his Shunpo proficiency he could cover the distance in a couple of steps and did just that.

Touching down outside he could see four people there, three of them he knew quite well being Ichigo's friends, the fourth however he didn't know. While she had a little more then average reiatsu he didn't think she had powers of any type and was probably just friends with the group.

Ishida was the first of the four to notice him, evident by his turning around first, the surprise was clear on his face, "Kyoraku-san, what are you doing here?" he asked, Chad and Inoue quickly followed suit and greeted him, the fourth member of their group was looking at him curiously.

"Hello Ishida-kun, Sado-kun, Inoue-chan, and Ms.." he trailed off, glancing towards the unknown member of their group.

"Tatsuki Arisawa," she replied stiffly with a small bow, obviously a little intimidated by him.

"Pleasure to meet you, I'm Shunsui Kyoraku, the Captain of the Eighth Division." he finished with a small smile and a tip of his sakkat. "As for why I'm here, I suspect it's the same reason as you four are." he finished earning knowing looks from the four and simultaneously they each turned back towards the shop where Urahara stood still looking as tired and disconnected as before.

The shopkeeper said no worlds, just gave a small, lazy gesture of his hand for the group to follow and without checking to see if they complied headed back into the depths of his store.

* * *

~ Realm of Fire and Ash

In the world where most would be unable to set foot due to the immense heat, things had finally settled down once more. No longer did a crushing weight press down on everything, splitting the rocks and warping the lava which flowed infinitely. Fires once more howled and roared in the distance, this time, however, they weren't threatening to consume everything, now they were under the fine control of one of the occupants of this world, well almost.

Ryujin Jakka, who had been stood silently for many hours now just watching his newest wielder meditate twitched once, then again, and decided that this silence could no longer be held and thus spoke up, breaking the concentration of his counterpart, " _I have been alive for thousands of years, Ichigo._ "

The acknowledged teen merely cracked open one of his eyes so he could glance up at his new Zanpakuto, curious as to where he was going with this random thought, "Yeah, so what's your point exactly?"

There was a small pause before an answer was given, " _In those thousands of years, I have never met someone as poor at controlling there own reiatsu then you are._ " the Zanpakuto replied finally, its voice as neutral as ever, however the same could not be said for his partner who hadn't appreciated such words.

"Huh?! What the hell's that supposed to mean?! It's not my fault I have all this reiryoku, besides, I'm doing pretty well now, look at the fire in the distance, it stopped advancing completely!" Ichigo replied proudly, believing that it had actually been all of his doing.

The strongest fire type Zanpakuto merely sighed and shook its head lightly, " _I thought you would have caught on already but it seems not. Ichigo, there is no such thing as having too much reiryoku to be controlled, just look at Shigekuni or Sosuke Aizen, their levels of reiryoku are currently still higher than yours yet they have masterful control over it._ " he then paused, letting that sink in before continuing. " _Unfortunately, your old mentor Kisuke Urahara merely told you that you had too much reiryoku to get out of the tedious task of teaching you to control it._ "

Ichigo bristled at that, left eye twitching in frustration, "That bastard, I hope he likes fire because if not he'd better run when I see him again," he said while touching the hilt of his Zanpakuto, an evil grin set onto his face, however, there was no real malice in his voice.

Ryujin, who was now connected quite deeply to this wise but hot-headed and brash teen could feel a strong melancholy deep within him which had been present since their training began. After everything had settled down and Ichigo had time to sort through his thoughts, the reality of the situation sunk in. Currently, Amaterasu at the very least probably thought he was dead, and he knew that through Takama-ga-hara Kisuke would find out eventually thus leading to his friends and family finding out that he had indeed died. The biggest problem was that while they knew he had died, they didn't know that he had actually returned from the dead once more and was, in fact, doing quite well.

Upon realizing this he wished to return to the higher planes but Ryujin immediately turned it down. Although the hole in Ichigo's soul had been plugged so to speak his reiatsu was still too wild and violent to be safe around normal souls or even ones with small amounts of power.

The main problem Ichigo faced was the nature of his reiryoku. His had always been very dense and aggressive, further corrupted by the hollow within himself making it quite dangerous to weaker souls that were in his presence for more than a short period of time. If this hadn't been problematic enough, now his Zanpakuto was one which had complete authority over fire and changed his souls signature further, giving it the characteristics of said element which wanted to consume and destroy everything.

Unfortunately, because of this Ichigo's power that he got to protect those he cared about and so much more could very well do more damage to them than any other enemy he could face in the future. It was because of this that he needed to learn the basics of control at the very least before returning to the other worlds.

Ryujin had to admit he was impressed with Ichigo's determination, even though there were many outbursts of anger and frustration he never gave up, and in just a few hours had learned basic control over his own energy. It would still be quite a while before he could subconsciously suppress it completely himself, and even when he did next after that would be the much more difficult task of keeping it under control while in the heat of battle, something that would test both Ichigo's and Ryujin's patience greatly,

"Do not despair, you are close to being able to return so let us continue your training Ichigo," the Zanpakuto was pleased to see that same fire light back up in his wielders eyes again as he retook the meditative position. "Remember what I told you Ichigo, take calm breaths and relax your mind, then calm down the raging inferno in your soul, if you wish to control the power within you first you must calm it. An out of control power will never obey its master.

He was pleased when after no more then a few seconds the energy within his wielder started to slow and settle, he had gotten very good at quickly reining it in, however, subduing his energy in a calm environment like this and out in the real world were two very different things. Ichigo still wasn't ready for Ryujin's Shikai but that would come soon enough, and Bankai wasn't even up for discussion.

The old Zanpakuto couldn't help but shiver lightly at that thought, if Ichigo were to release Bankai right now he would instantly die and the resulting release of energy from within himself would be nothing less then catastrophic, so no, there would be no talks of Bankai for a while.

Some might think it is unsafe to deny Ichigo both Bankai and Shikai, but those would be the people who didn't know Ichigo's true strength. Currently, the power Ichigo wielded in his sealed state added with the Hollow and Quincy techniques he had learned from Zangetsu would be enough to push every Shinigami save for a handful into their Shikai state. And, as for the Lieutenants like Abarai who had recently earned their Bankai, well they'd better be willing to go all out from the start lest they want to lose their life.

His new wielders power and potential were frightening, but that was a good thing, because if Ichigo was anything less than a monster he wouldn't survive across the parallel.

* * *

~ Urahara Shop, Karakura Town

The normally active candy shop which carried a sense of happiness and excitement was now dark and closed up with no movement to be heard within. The atmosphere surrounding the store had become quite gloomy and had been that way for a few days. The usually eccentric shopkeeper was sat in his back room, lazily slumped against the wall in the dark, his hat set down over his eyes shielding them from the small light that crept through a crack in the window. This was how he had been since receiving word from Takama-ga-hara a few days ago.

Two weeks ago he noticed the odd clouds that quickly blanketed the sky, bringing with them the record-breaking amounts of rain that fell over Japan for over a week straight. Hell, every news station you could think of was still raving on about the unprecedented amounts of precipitation that fell in such a short period of time, there was still mass flooding in many places.

He could feel the anguish and despair that laced every drop of rain that hit the ground and he knew right away that something terrible had happened or was coming, from where he wasn't sure, but he knew he would soon find out. For the week or so that it rained he could feel his patience thinning, he had thought of every possible situation or scenario that could cause such feelings of unease in him and no matter how many times he ran over it they all led back to Ichigo.

Sure enough, about a week later the rain finally slowed to a slight drizzle and a couple days after that finally stopped, it was then that he was contacted. Immediately his fears were realized when it was not Lady Amaterasu that reached out to him, but the God of the Sea and Storms, Susanoo, who was on quite good terms with the pesky shopkeeper. As soon as the conversation ended he found himself hiding in the dark, unable to move, unable to speak, unable to think, the same few words just kept cutting at his heart further. ' _Ichigo had failed Ryujin Jakka's test._ '

Even for someone as old and experienced as Urahara was, even though he knew that no one was truly invincible, even he couldn't imagine the thought of Ichigo ever dying. Ever since he had met the boy- no, that man, he had been completely blown away over and over again by Ichigo's freakish levels of power and growth rate. Every time he lost he got back up stronger than before and kicked whatever enemies ass that needed kicking at the time. To think of Ichigo losing, and losing completely, it was just something that he had a hard time trying to fathom. Honestly, for the first few hours, he found himself in a state of denial, it was just ludicrous.

It was only when Yoruichi returned from her latest information gathering trip to the soul society and he told her of the new did it finally hit home. If the situation was different, it would have almost been amusing to see such a look of utter disbelief and bafflement on the woman's face though any thoughts of amusement were quickly shattered upon seeing the tears falling down her cheeks.

Though neither of them wished to be the ones to do so, they knew that had to tell Isshin as soon as possible, that was his son and he more then anyone deserved to know right away. He would need to hear the news and compose himself enough to tell Yuzu and Karin, and boy did that thought just hit Kisuke and Yoruichi right in the heart, it was no secret how much those two loved their older brother.

Kisuke could still remember it vividly, he had called Isshin, telling the man that he needed to head over as soon as possible. Isshin probably understood the seriousness of the situation by the tone of his longtime friend's voice and thus not even five minutes later the man was outside his shop in soul form, clearly having utilized Shunpo to get there as fast as possible.

Urahara was sat cross-legged on the wooden step right inside his shop and Isshin stood in the doorway, it was dark outside and thus the dim light inside cast a soft, ominous shadow on everything around them. They both stayed still for a moment, reading the other's emotions in their eyes.

Isshin had simply closed his eyes and exhaled softly, nodding his head a moment later giving Kisuke the go-ahead to tell him all that needed to be said. The hatted man's response was short and would have seemed vague to anyone not aware of the situation, however, Isshin understood. ' _Takama-ga-hara contacted me._ '

Isshin fell to his knees hunched over like a puppet who had just been cut loose from its strings, his body shaking lightly as small droplets of water fell from his shadowed face. Urahara still did not move from his spot, nor did he offer any words of comfort, there was nothing he could say. In not even a span of ten years, Isshin had lost his wife and only son.

The sound of a bell ringing brought him from his thoughts, that would be Ichigo's human friends now, here to hear the latest report about their friend, though it definitely wouldn't be the one they expected. Unfortunately, this time he would be delivering the news alone, Yoruichi had disappeared after they told Isshin and Tessai was currently out on a supply run for the shop.

Ever so slowly he got up, his body stiff from his lack of movement lately, and not even bothering to stretch out his muscles he trudged towards the front of his store, his steps lacking their usual gracefulness and precision.

He really wasn't in the mood for this but he knew it needed to be done, but it seemed it would only get worse. As the front door to his shop opened revealing the four teenagers he felt the familiar pulse of energy that accompanied a Senkaimon opening up, meaning that the Shinigami too decided this was a good day to come for a question and answer session with the scientist, ' _oh joy.._ ' he mused to himself.

He instantly recognized the reiatsu signature, and while he was curious as to why such a powerful Captain had come he wouldn't question it, there was no time to anyways, within seconds the man was in front of his shop exchanging greetings with the Karakura Team plus one.

When all attention turned back to him he just gave a lazy wave of his arm meaning to follow him and trudged back towards his meeting room. He fell back down onto his cushion ungracefully, Kyoraku taking the one opposite of him and the four teenagers splitting up, two on each side of the table, each gazing expectantly at him.

Without any of his normally jovial tone and way of speaking he got straight to the point, "You're all here for an update on Kurosaki-san, am I right?" the four teenagers instantly nodded, Kyoraku was the only one who verbally replied.

"Mm, well I'd say my reason for being here is more for confirmation," he answered cryptically, the teenagers didn't understand the meaning behind those words but Urahara did.

' _I see. I suppose Yamamoto-soutaichou would know since it was his Zanpakuto that did the deed, he, however, cannot announce this and is most likely just sending someone for formalities._ ' the shopkeeper huffed quietly before speaking once more. "I see, well I'll be frank. I don't know too much about the situation and honestly I'm not permitted to say all that much either," as soon as he said that he could see understanding pass through Kyoraku's eyes, he was someone who would understand the laws of don't say things you shouldn't unless you want to pay the price. "Nonetheless, I will confirm this to the five of you right now. Ichigo Kurosaki has died."

There was a tense and sad silence, Ishida, Chad, Inoue, and Tatsuki each had looks of disbelief. Inoue was the only one with tears forming in her eyes, the other three had their fists clenched and varying looks of pain on their face. Kyoraku nodded sadly to himself before tipping his sakkat towards Urahara in a message of thanks and farewell, who dipped his head in response, he was sad as well but he wouldn't let the emotions get to him right now, first, he would talk to Yama-jii and go from there.

* * *

~ A/N:

 **Firstly before I get onto the explanation for my absence I'd like to go over a couple things for this story and the chapter. There have been a couple people confused about whether or not Yama-jii still has his Zanpakuto and I will clarify that yes he does, just because Ichigo has Ryujin Jakka now too doesn't mean that Yama-jii's version suddenly vanished into thin air. This story's Zanpakuto theory is loosely based on the Bleach movie the Diamond Dust Rebellion where Toshiro and Kusaka both had Hyorinmaru, now in this case both Ichigo and Yama-jii have Ryujin Jakka. Ichigo is mostly going to be spending time in the DXD side of the universe though so it doesn't really matter if Yama-jii still has Ryujin Jakka or not.**

 **Second I'd like to briefly talk about power levels, obviously, since I'm joining the Bleach and DXD universes together there would have to be some power tweaking to make this work. To start, yes I buffed Amaterasu a lot but I feel she deserves it as the Goddess of the sun and head of the Shinto. Plus, with the Shinto playing a part in this story they can't exactly be weak, can they? Also, I will say that no the Shinigami aren't going to be overpowered super soldiers who curb stomp everyone, they will be a strong faction but not the strongest.**

 **Currently, right now Yamamoto and the Zero Division are the only ones who could really make a dent in the DXD power list. You have to remember this is before the thousand year blood war so Kenpachi doesn't have his Bankai and everyone is still pretty weak. I know someone is going to have something to say about me implying that Yama-jii was as strong as a Heavenly Dragon and I'll just say this, the keyword is was. Yama-jii in his prime 3000 years ago was as strong as a Heavenly Dragon, however, age has crippled him a lot and he is nowhere that level of strength anymore, so don't worry, like I said, the Shinigami aren't going to be super overpowered nor will they be weak.**

 **As far as Ichigo goes he doesn't have access to Shikai or Bankai but he will get Shikai soon. He has Hollow and Quincy techniques to give him that extra strength now that he lacked before. In terms of power, like I said in the story sealed Zanpakuto Ichigo could force most Captains except for like Yama-jii, Kyoraku, Ukitake, Unohana to release their swords. So he's strong but not the strongest. I want him to progress as time goes on.**

 **Now finally the reason for my absence. It happened about a week and a half to two weeks after I uploaded Ch.4, quite simply my laptop kicked the bucket and I lost everything. I lost the original Ch.5 and small parts of 6 and 7 that I had thought of, as well as my outline for GOTD. Even more then that I lost hundreds of thousands of words worth of other stories and one-shots I had written, and although I probably wasn't ever going to upload any of them they still meant a lot to me.**

 **Basically losing everything that I worked so hard on like that killed any motivation I had for writing fanfiction and it has been that way pretty much this whole time. It was only a couple weeks ago that I started rewriting this chapter. Even right now my motivation to write isn't at the same level that it was before but I knew I had to come back because the support you guys have shown for this story so far is absolutely incredible and I couldn't leave you hanging.**

 **Guardian of the Dead is already on page one for favourites in this crossover section and we nearly have 400 favourites now as well as nearly 500 follows, that's insane! Thank you all for the continued support and I promise I am not abandoning this story.**

 **If you have any thoughts on the chapter than feel free to leave a review, I'm always looking to improve my writing and so constructive feedback is appreciated. If you have any questions then feel free to message me, I always reply when I can.**

 **\- Vertius**


	6. Chapter 6

**Hey everyone! It's been a long time again, I know. I've honestly been writing a lot again, just not Bleach stuff really. Ever since Kubo published that heaping pile of garbage he calls an ending I've been kinda growing away from the series, but, in the end, I still love Bleach and so I came back with the latest chapter. Anyways, please enjoy!**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own Bleach, Highschool DXD, nor any of their respective characters.**

* * *

Guardian of the Dead

\- Chapter 6 -

~ Two months after the announcement of Ichigo's death

When the initial news broke in the Soul Society it spread like wildfire, reaching the ears of those who knew him personally, those who had only met him in passing and even those who had merely heard of him through word of mouth. The common theme, however, from all the people who were aware of the Winter War hero's mysterious passing was outrage. To have such news announced only one month after his initial disappearance, a period in which no search teams were sent out to look for him, to hear that Ichigo had died, and not even get the slightest idea of how or why it happened, it was unacceptable to many Shinigami and they made it known.

Disorder and mayhem quickly broke out in the Seireitei only this time there were no Captains to calm their divisions, no Lieutenants to sooth their subordinates. In this case, with the exception of three, the Captains and Lieutenants were just as lost as the other Shinigami, they too had no information. Those who had fought, bled and nearly died alongside the orange haired Shinigami were simply told that he was now gone, for unknown reasons, in an unknown location Ichigo had died, and that was supposed to be the end of it, but it would never be so simple.

The Captain Commander knew this of course, but in such a situation there was nothing he could do, he was forced to sit at the top and lie to all of his subordinates about the truth, to watch his army fall into dismay, to watch anger grab hold of hearts and force voids in between once friends and comrades. It was times like this that he wished he no longer held the responsibility of his position, but it was not yet his time to leave the battlefield behind. There was quite simply no one who could replace him, and so he would stay at his place atop the Gotei 13 and bear through the anger and frustration sent his way by the many people who just want to know _why_.

Now it was three months after his initial disappearance, and two months since his death and things had thankfully settled down. They weren't back to how it used to be, nowhere near, and it probably would be that way for a long time but at least the fires had simmered down and order had been returned. The squads had resumed training, though this time much more rigorously than before. It wasn't just the lower and unseated members either, even now the Captains had begun further honing their skills, no longer resting on their laurels, and all for the purpose of never repeating the same mistake again.

Sure, the true cause of his death wasn't known and thus it was impossible to actually say whether or not it was their fault, but it was the constant nagging in the back of their mind that told them it just might have been which pushed them to grow their strength. If Ichigo had never been forced to enter to supernatural, forced to fight their battles for them, and was able to live out his human life as he was supposed to then maybe he would still be alive. The negative to that scenario would be his never meeting them, but at least he would still be alive.

In the human world, things had gone pretty much as expected, Inoue had balled her eyes out with Tatsuki consoling her, Chad had remained silent but you could see the pain deep within his eyes as he stared down at one of his clenched fists. He had trained so hard to stand by Ichigo and watch his back, yet in the end, his strength didn't do anything, his brother had died and there was nothing he could do about it.

The most surprising reaction, however, came from the stoic and usually arrogant Quincy. Ishida had completely lost his composure, almost instantly he reached across the table so he could grab a couple handfuls of Urahara's haori which was followed by a violent shaking as he demanded answers on Ichigo's location and how they could get there, but he received no answers. Urahara just let him vent his frustrations, he like everyone else knew that no matter what kind of front he put up, Ishida saw Ichigo as a brother just as Chad did.

Ichigo was the leader of their group and the one to draw the Karakura gang together, he was the one who made allies of the Visored, he was the one that swayed even the coldest of Shinigami hearts and made his cause their cause, he was the one who befriended hollow's even while they were in a war with that very same race. Ichigo was always so strong, stronger than everyone, no matter who the enemy was, no matter how bleak the situation looked he always won, and now for him to be gone just like that, it was a tough pill to swallow.

His sisters had taken it the worst out of everyone, becoming closed off once more just like how it had been after their mother's death, Isshin tried to comfort them as best as he could but Ichigo's death hit him harder than most thought. He couldn't help but think that it was his fault, nor could he stop the ' _what ifs?_ ' from plaguing his mind. What if he had come clean with Ichigo sooner? What if he had let Urahara awaken his powers and start training him before Rukia had even first shown up? Would Ichigo still be here with them? It was something he supposed he wouldn't ever know the answers too, so all he could do was apologize through his tears to his deceased wife for how he had failed their only son.

Those like Keigo, Mizuiro, Chizuru and everyone who had been close enough to Ichigo and his circle of friends to know about the real reasons for their prolonged absence's had been told before the first day back to school. There was a lot of disbelief among those who knew but after it had been accepted as a reality the tears followed quickly after.

The first day of school after the news broke went just as expected, their teacher Ms. Ochi had announced it to the class. The cover story that had been agreed on was that Ichigo Kurosaki had been killed after being attacked by a group of thugs on his way home from the store over the holidays, which honestly wasn't too unbelievable. Understandably, just as in the Soul Society the news spread like wildfire, before the school day had even ended everyone knew about it.

A week later the funeral was held, a specially made gigai from Urahara which would disappear after a predetermined amount of time was laid inside the coffin since they did not possess his real body. It was only a small gathering, mostly consisting of Ichigo's friends as well as his father and sisters since Isshin's and Masaki's families were both tied to the supernatural and nearly if not completely wiped out. After everything was said and done 'Ichigo' had been buried right beside his mother where they knew he would want to be.

* * *

~ World of Fire and Ash

" _That's enough, Ichigo._ " the strongest fire type Zanpakuto announced and his posture relaxed, the only response that followed his statement was a heavy sigh and a thud as the orange-headed teen's back hit the rocky plateau under him, his chest rising and falling rapidly as he tried to regain his composure from their most recent training session.

Ichigo found out very soon after meeting Ryujin Jakka that he was not a kind and compassionate teacher, he didn't give Ichigo breaks when it looked like he couldn't go on anymore and he didn't scale down his strength to start the session, only increasing it slowly as Ichigo grew.

No, Ryujin Jakka was merciless. His punches and kicks rattled Ichigo to the very core and every time their blades crossed it felt as if his arm would snap in two. If that wasn't hard enough, on the occasion that Ryujin would seriously injure him or he would land in one of the many flows of molten rock the teen wasn't even given time to regenerate the gruesome wounds, instead the assault would continue. The Zanpakuto would put him right back into the ground without remorse.

The way Ryujin Jakka saw it, if Ichigo couldn't break up his never-ending assault with his own skill and strength to allow himself time to recover, then, in the end, he didn't deserve to. If Ichigo couldn't improve then he would die. It may have seemed cruel, and it probably was, but Ryujin Jakka vowed that he would _never_ let one of his wielders die if he could prevent it.

He had trained Shigekuni the same way and now look at the man, he has held the title of strongest Shinigami to ever live since they were initially created and in his prime, he had power which rivalled that of a Heavenly Dragon. He was easily one of the top ten strongest beings in the world surpassing that of even Amaterasu herself and Ichigo would be no different- no, that wasn't exactly right, with Ichigo's Hollow and Quincy heritage aiding to his already unnatural potential he would surpass even Shigekuni one day.

' _Yes, one day very soon Ichigo will stand at the top, known and feared by all, with the power to reduce this very world to ashes,'_ and with those final thoughts he shifted his attention back to the other occupant of this world. Ichigo, who had moved into a seated position against one of the boulders which had been ripped from the ground after their spar was still panting heavily but he had a satisfied look on his face.

" _I am very proud of you Ichigo, these couple months of training have put you through many hardships yet not once has your resolve waned, you took everything head on and gave it everything you had,_ " the Zanpakuto started, if he actually had a mouth it would be set into a smile, he truly was proud of his newest wielder, " _Even though your reiryoku levels haven't increased that wasn't the purpose of this training, your reiryoku itself has gotten much denser, making you stronger then you have ever been. Your Hakuda, Hoho, and Zanjutsu have all increased immensely and you have even begun to learn Kido._

 _Most importantly though, your control has now increased by many leaps and bounds and you are now able to wield my Shikai,_ " that statement brought a very large smile from Ichigo, one filled with childlike excitement, like he was back to being a young boy and had just been promised an all expenses paid trip to a candy store.

Even though Ichigo's enthusiasm at obtaining his Shikai made the old Zanpakuto happy he couldn't let the lighter mood settle just yet, he needed to make sure that Ichigo was truly ready. " _You know how dangerous fire is, how dangerous_ your _fire is, so promise me Ichigo, never lose yourself in battle, always keep a cool head, because one slip up and you will destroy not only yourself but many innocents around you as well._ "

Those words were very sobering for the teen, Ryujin had given him a demonstration of his Shikai's base power early on, he hadn't used any techniques or anything, it was just the base flames which were released upon activation and it was breathtaking. Everything around him had been consumed, nothing was spared, and immediately he thought back to the first vision he was shown of the burning Karakura town with his family being consumed by those flames, he would never let that happen.

With words full of conviction, he answered his partner, "I promise, Ryujin. I have obtained this power only so that I can protect those who cannot protect themselves, I will never let it harm someone who has done no wrong, I swear it on my soul." his answer earned him a pleased nod of the head.

" _Good, then with that I think it's time you return to Takama-ga-hara._ "

As Ichigo crouched down and placed a hand on the stone below him he couldn't deny that he was elated, he was finally hearing those words which he had wanted to hear for so long, he could finally return to everyone after these long months of training, he was happy, truly he was, so why then did he hesitate in opening the Schatten Bereich? It was because of fear.

After all the time which had passed there was no doubt everyone thought he was dead, it was impossible to hide it, how could he show his face once more after everything he undoubtedly put them through? His father and sisters, his human friends, Kisuke and Yoruichi, the Shinigami and Visored, how could he go back there and look them in the eyes while telling them this whole time he had actually been alive and well, just training in another dimension?

Sure, they would undoubtedly be happy that he was in fact still living, and Ichigo knew that they would certainly forgive him for all of the stress and hardships he had put them through, but that didn't mean he would be able to forgive himself so easily.

Ryujin, sensing the unease in his wielder stepped up behind his crouched form and placed a reassuring hand on his shoulder, " _Why do you hesitate Ichigo? You yourself just said that they will forgive you, so why do you fear? It was not because of your choice that things played out as they did, the fault lies not with you and thus you have nothing to forgive yourself for. Just focus on returning to the heavenly plains for now, then go from there, once all is explained things will return to normal._ "

Those words immediately calmed his scattered mind, Ryujin was right, just because he was finally going back didn't mean he would have to meet everyone this very same day, he could spread it out and return to his world only when he was ready. The words that were once spoken to him by Zangetsu once more entered his mind, ' _Cast off your fear! Move forward and never stop! retreat and you will age, hesitate and you will die._ '

He huffed out as a small smirk made its way onto his face, gripping the darkness in his hands he pulled up, it was time to go.

* * *

~ Takama-ga-hara.

It was business as usual for Tsukuyomi and Susanoo in the higher planes, it was their job to meet with the other faction heads throughout the world and they had just gotten back from a very long meeting with Odin, the allfather of the Norse. The meeting had gone well thankfully, as had the meetings with the other various faction of the world. Some were more annoyed with the Shinto then others but the Trinity couldn't blame them, after keeping to themselves for so long they finally came back and re-established contact with the major leaders only for them to abruptly disappear again.

Unfortunately they couldn't give the exact reason why they vanished again so suddenly as they didn't think the various other leaders would appreciate an answer of, ' _The powerful young man with the potential to eventually kill a God that we were about to send down to earth as our enforcer has just died_ ,' no, that would most definitely earn them more enemies then friends.

As the two men reached the shared shrine of the Shinto Trinity they entered to find their sister already present and waiting for their arrival. Of course, they could feel her energy signature before they even arrived however they couldn't get a strong reading on her emotional state. Although still weighed down by the death of Ichigo she had been slowly improving, once more finding happiness after the young hero's passing. They were both pleased to see a smile now on her beautiful face as she came into view.

"Ah, my sister how are you feeling?" the young voice of the Moon God, Tsukuyomi, called out as both he and Susanoo came out from behind her seat.

She greeted the pair with a warm smile, she was happy they were back, "I am well, my heart is slowly coming to terms with what has happened, I assure you I will not let it affect my work anymore."

The second part of her reply was met with a lighthearted but stern look from the elder looking Susanoo, "There is no need for you to say such things, I can assure you that both Tsukuyomi and myself have never once been overburdened by your state of mind during this hard time."

She gave him another grateful smile, she knew they wouldn't hold it against her but it really was time for her to get back to her own duties, sure she hadn't been neglecting them completely, no, bad things would happen should she do that, however she hadn't been as public with the other factions as she should have. It was fine having Tsukuyomi and Susanoo meet with everyone, but with how long the Shinto Faction was out of the game and with their most recent absence it would do well to have her handle some of the politics, she was the head of the Shinto after all.

After her two brothers had gotten seated in their own respective thrones, ones on each side of her she began the diplomatic talk, "So how did Odin-dono react this time around?"

The God of the Sea and Storms took this question due to his once good friendship with the fellow geezer, "Hm, it wasn't too hard to placate things with that old goat, they just wanted to be sure that the Shinto have only plans of peace in mind, with how the alliances of old have been deteriorating these last years I cannot blame them."

"Indeed," she replied curtly, "and what of the most recent issue?"

"Well as you can guess most of the factions weren't too pleased that we were unwilling to give a reason for the abrupt cutoff but none of them pushed too hard, in the end, they have secrets just as we do, no faction is completely open with its neighbours, it is due to this common fact between the faction heads that allowed us to get by lightly this time," the other brother fielded the question this time.

Amaterasu herself grimaced at the answer, "Yes, it seems we will have to be more careful, our former relationships with everyone have indeed granted us some leeway but our fellow leaders cannot let things go by lightly forever," there was a small pause and the tensions between the three slightly rose, the next topic was one they all wished they could avoid, if only life was so easy. "And what of the Devil faction?" she asked but did not receive an answer, something which she expected.

The Devils were the only race that the Shinto had yet to fully reconnect with. Sure they had exchanged some pleasantries through voice communications, however, there had yet to be a true meeting between the heads of the two factions due to the increasing tensions between the two. Despite how they constantly talked as if peace was on their agenda, their actions towards the Shinto did not mimic it, not with how they treated her land, the land in which she graciously let them use when she had no obligation to do so.

It was only because they stopped accepting human souls as payment for tasks did she relent and give them permission to set up their little 'territories' on her land, but it would never be so simple as to revoke the contract between them now that they had started to misuse that generosity. It would cause many negative repercussions, many of which could and would most likely lead to war.

It was because of this that their plans involving Ichigo had such high hopes, they were going to drop him down right in the middle of the joint Gremory, Sitri territory, and through him the Devils would get the picture that the Shinto Faction was not to be messed with, and if they foolishly thought that they could walk over the Goddess of the Sun and misuse her generosity then they would be in for a very rude awakening.

Of course, there was no guarantee that it would've ever worked in the first place. Amaterasu would never force Ichigo to do something, so if he had told her that he wished to return to Karakura and continue his life as a normal student whilst resuming his old substitute Shinigami duties again than she would accept that and send him back with a smile on her face. However now, now the Shinto were at the disadvantage, they could either break the contract with the Devils, sending negative ripples throughout the supernatural, or just let things be and essentially give them permission to walk all over them.

"What a troublesome situation," she finally said with a small pout.

The God of the Moon couldn't help but release a small chuckle at his sisters childish antics, "Sometimes it is necessary to take a risk if the reward is great enough, sadly this time lady luck wasn't on our side and we lost the gamble, but that doesn't mean we are out completely," this comment brought a light smile back to Amaterasu's face and much larger grin to Susanoo's who very much agreed with that statement.

"Exactly! Our faction is not so weak, should it be necessary we can always-" whatever the rest of his sentence was would not be finished for at that very moment a new presence had entered the heavenly planes, something that was in simplest terms, impossible, without the permission of the Trinity.

Not even sparing a glance toward each other the three vanished in their own teleportation circles, appearing not even a breath later inside of Amaterasu's garden, mere feet from the shrine which held the souls of Ryujin Jakka and Hyorinmaru. The most frightening thing about this situation was the method of travel this person was using, the Schatten Bereich. There were only a handful of Quincy who could use this technique, and of them all, only one would be able to use it to enter this space.

Yhwach.

However, even though the only person who should be able to enter Takama-ga-hara with that technique was the Quincy King, it wasn't him. The signature inside of the room was a mix of Shinigami, Quincy and Hollow, something that Yhwach definitely was not. In truth, that mix was something that should never have existed in the first place, and with the exception of one person, it never has.

Even as she stepped towards the door of the shrine Amaterasu knew she shouldn't get her hopes up, but she still couldn't stop the light feeling from entering her heart as she slid the door open revealing the lone figure inside.

* * *

~ Takama-ga-hara with Ichigo

Although the shadow realm was incredibly useful and he was glad that he had learned to use the technique, he really didn't miss the vast expanse of darkness and the feelings of loneliness and despair it brought forth within him. Upon entering the Schatten Bereich his original plan was just to head straight for the garden which lay behind Amaterasu's mansion, however, as he felt the all-encompassing warmth coming from the Zanpakuto held in his left hand the destination quickly shifted. He didn't think it would be anything major just yet, but he had to see for himself if there had been any changes to the blade which represented his partner's soul since he last was there.

Once the shadows receded around him he could feel a weight lift off his shoulders that he hadn't known was there in the first place. To finally see such a familiar place after spending almost the whole of the last three months fighting and training in Ryujin's world it was quite simply a relief.

The small room was just as he remembered it, faint light filled the shrine from the multiple torches which burned on the walls. On the far end, side by side were the two pedestals with the respective sword stands each holding a familiar blade. Just like last time his gaze first went to the right side, the painting while faded still proudly displayed Hyorinmaru, the great dragon of ice which he luckily never had to seriously fight against.

It wasn't that he doubted his abilities, but Toshiro was one of his good friends and not one he would ever wish to seriously fight. The aura the blade was giving off felt stronger than before, perhaps Toshiro had been training? Or maybe it was just because he no longer had the sensory abilities of a rock.

Glancing to the left side now he looked up towards the painting first, the image was the same, a large volcano as the centrepiece with glowing veins of lava running down its side, it was odd to think that he had actually been there just a short while ago training. Oddly enough he was still unable to see Ryujin's physical from anywhere in the scenery, though perhaps that was intentional. He wasn't even sure how these were made in the first place so who was he to question it?

Finally, he glanced down at the Zanpakuto below it, _his_ Zanpakuto and he couldn't help but smile softly at what he saw. It wasn't perfect, not even close, but it looked better than before. The hilt which was faded and frayed now started to regain some of its once royal purple colour and the oval guard no longer sported such large cracks and chips as before. ' _This is only the start, I promise to return you back to your former glory Ryujin,_ ' he spoke out in his mind, receiving a warm pulse from the depths of his soul in return.

Though he had been training primarily in reiatsu control and the sensory abilities that came with it he was completely oblivious to the three presences that currently stood outside the shrine, only when the doors slid open bathing the room in a golden glow did he turn around.

' _Amaterasu,_ ' he thought to himself happily, he had thought about the Goddess of the Sun quite a lot during his absence, she had such a motherly aura around her and the first time they had met she left a strong impression on his heart. Though the smile that was slowly making it's way onto his face immediately disappeared upon locking gazes with the divine woman, her eyes were glassy with unshed tears and they were filled with such happiness but also a deep pain.

How could he have been so stupid, ' _she thought I was dead, this whole time she had to sit here believing I was gone, it probably broke her heart, and now I return so suddenly.._ ' he shook his head violently at the realization, he felt like scum for making this woman before him cry like so.

He was brought from his self-loathing by a whisper of Ichigo followed by another body impacting his own, without even thinking he wrapped his one free arm around the Goddess of the Sun, happily returning her embrace. He could hear slight sniffles coming from her which stabbed at his heart, he would apologize later but for now he just pulled her closer and let her hug him as long as she wished.

A few moments passed before she finally relented her firm grip on him allowing them both to leave the small building, Ichigo couldn't help the instinctual reaction to close his eyes and tilt his head upwards, letting the warmth of the sun wash over his skin. It had been months since he had seen a real sky or breathed in such clean air devoid of smoke and ash. That wasn't to say that he disliked it, no, now that his soul was that of a raging inferno he found that such smells gave him comfort much like the moon always had when his soul was named 'Zangetsu,' but still, it was nice to clear your lungs every once in a while.

This time it was a thoughtful hum in a male's voice that forced him to turn his attention back to the world around him, there were two men before him, one much older in appearance then the other – though in the world of spirits looks could be deceiving – and both of them had their eyes set on the blade that he grasped in his left hand. He sensed nothing negative from them, just genuine curiosity and a hint of surprise.

"That's quite the Zanpakuto you have there, Kurosaki-san," the younger of the two spoke up, his voice was very calm but it held notes of happiness that made Ichigo feel at ease. His facial expression was calm and didn't give too much away, but it wasn't a serious look, more like one of relaxation. Truthfully, this man reminded him a lot of what Byakuya would be like if he took that stick out of his ass for a little while.

Ichigo broke into a wry smile at that remark, "Yeah, our initial meeting didn't really go too well, but everything worked out in the end."

This time it was the second of the two, an older looking man who spoke up, well he didn't speak as much as release a burst of loud and boisterous laughter, "Quite the understatement there my boy! If I'm not mistaken you were killed by him, what's with your lack of a reaction?"

The teen merely shrugged at the question, "I've died a couple times already, it's not so shocking the third time around, besides it's not so easy to get rid of me." he finished with a cocky smirk.

The two men in front of him looked briefly taken back with surprise at the response but before too long could pass the older man burst out laughing again and even the more youthful man had a smile of his own. Amaterasu didn't look too pleased that they were making light of Ichigo's deaths but she was just happy he was alive and well and thus would let it pass.

However, that did raise the question of how he came back, both of his deaths thus far were negated due to the power of the real Zangetsu and even though he still had those powers Zangetsu himself was gone and so it was highly unlikely that Ichigo could have resurrected himself, yet here he was.

"I would definitely like to hear about what has gone on for these past months that you have been away, but that can wait as I'm sure you would like to get yourself cleaned up and a new change of clothes put on," She spoke up, causing Ichigo to glance down at himself, she was right.

He hadn't actually been paying too much attention but he only had enough clothing on to cover his private areas and part of his right leg and all of his exposed skin was filthy with sweat, grime, ash and a little blood from these many months of training. His mouth twisted in distaste as he actually realized what a disgusting state he was currently in. "Uh, yeah that would be nice," he finished, giving a sort of bashful smile.

* * *

When he had first sunk into the warm water after vigorously washing from head to toe he couldn't help but let out a pleased sigh that sounded oddly close to a moan of pleasure. He was sore, his bones, his muscles, his mind, everything was just sore. Sure, if it was necessary he could've kept going for a lot longer then this, but it really felt nice to just relax after so long and let all the stress and weariness wash out from him.

His thoughts briefly shifted to that of his friends and family back home who were still most likely mourning his death, he would see them soon and set things straight, that was for sure. Then when he thought of his current situation he couldn't help but release a tired sigh, he wasn't even out of the teens and yet he felt so old, so mentally exhausted. It started with learning about his real heritage, the fact that his mother was a pure blooded Quincy, his father a pure blooded Shinigami of noble descent. As if that wasn't enough. through Aizen's machinations, a Vasto Lorde class hollow had been thrown into the equation as well, and all of that compiled itself together to create the freak of nature that was himself.

After fighting countless uphill battles, dying twice only to be brought right back because the fighting had yet to be finished. After being forced to carry the burden of three worlds on his back in a fight against a megalomaniac who had stepped into an incomplete state of Godhood. Then, even worse he was forced to sacrifice part of his very soul and live powerless without his purpose for months before learning that what he thought the world was, actually wasn't even half of it.

Learning that the Goddess of the Sun had saved his life when he was younger, meeting Ryujin as rough as it had been, dying again only to be saved by someone he didn't even know. The training with Zangetsu and the eventual goodbye's, unlocking his true power and meeting with Ryujin once again. What a wild journey this past couple of years had been, and even though there had been just as many, if not more downs then there were ups, he wouldn't trade those experiences for the world.

The only question that remained on his mind was what now? His powers were back, so would he now just return to Karakura, continue going to school and re-take up his old duties as a substitute Shinigami? That was the most obvious choice, but in truth, it didn't feel like the right one. If he had to be honest, the most stand out event that had happened since that night he first encountered a hollow all those years ago wasn't becoming a Shinigami, nor breaking into the Soul Society to save Rukia, not saving Inoue from Hueco Mundo or even sacrificing part of his soul to defeat Aizen. No, in his opinion the greatest highlight was finding out everything that truly existed in this world.

The knowledge that there was something more pulled at him without relent, like a constant nagging in the back of his mind. He wanted to go home and see his family, his friends, to tell them that he was alright, to apologize for worrying them so, but did he want to stay there?

As bad as it may sound, no, he didn't.

" _It is not wrong for you to feel such a way, Ichigo. Ever since you were young you have been bound to Karakura town by friends, family, and later your duty as a Shinigami. It is normal for someone to wish to spread their wings as it were and explore the world around them when they were unable to do so before._ "

Ichigo nodded slowly at Ryujin's words, he understood and agreed with his Zanpaktuo's wisdom, however agreeing and actually taking action were two very different things when it came to someone like Ichigo, someone who was far to selfless for their own good.

Ryujin who had gotten to know his new wielder quite intimately in their months of solitude understood this very well, " _You really must start making decisions for yourself from now on Ichigo. You feel that after what you have unintentionally put your family through you are unworthy of the happiness you would get from freedom, but this could not be farther from the truth._ "

A knock on the door to Ichigo's bath broke off any remaining words the two of them were going to share, but nonetheless, Ryujin said what he wished to and got his point across. All that was needed at this point was for Ichigo to stew on his words and come to a conclusion himself, and the old Zanpakuto knew it would be the right one.

"Ichigo-sama, your clothing has been prepared and Lady Amaterasu, Lord Tsukuyomi, and Lord Susanoo are awaiting your arrival." the soft voice of Ayame spoke, slightly muffled by the wall separating them.

"Alright, I'll be out shortly, thank you." was the simple response he gave back, he had long since understood that the '-sama' suffix wasn't going away anytime soon and thus resigned himself and accepted it.

No more then five minutes later he was back in his room, a white towel wrapped around his waist covering his modesty and another in his hands drying up the remaining water that persisted in his hair. It was already getting dark outside and so he figured it wouldn't do well to make the Trinity wait any longer, however upon turning to the dresser which his clothes sat on he noticed something, or better yet the distinct lack of something that sent his mind into a panic.

The blade which represented his soul was no longer there, he distinctly remembered laying it down on the sword rack right before undressing and stepping into the bath. However now in the spot where it should be was instead a simple blue-hilted Katana with a plain round guard in a black sheath, he did not recognize this blade at all and for his Ryujin Jakka to be missing he couldn't help but fear that his powers had somehow vanished once more.

" _Relax Ichigo, I am here, all is well._ " The calming voice of his partner ring out through his head, " _I apologize, I should have warned you beforehand that my blade would disappear without being in contact with you._ " immediately his wielder slumped, relief flooding all of his senses.

After taking a calming breath he wasted no time in getting answers, "Why did your blade disappear? How do I summon you again?"

" _Truthfully you shouldn't have been able to summon it in the first place but certain circumstances bent the rules a little for you. No Shinigami with the exception of you has ever been able to summon their Zanpakuto without the aid of an Asauchi, due to yourself and Zangetsu being unique by every definition of the word._ "

"So then I have to get one of these 'Asauchi' before I can wield you again?"

" _Indeed, but worry not, it seems that Amaterasu has foreseen this and already given you one._ "

Immediately the teens eye went to the unknown blade which rested on his dresser, no words were actually spoken by the Zanpakuto spirit but Ichigo could feel that his partner was affirming his current assumption and thus he reached out with his right hand and grasped the sword by the sheath, drawing the blade itself in one smooth motion with his right.

The sword in his hand gave off no energy, the usual feeling of life which he felt whenever holding Zangetsu or Ryujin Jakka was not present. If he had to describe this sword in just one word it would be normal. It felt like any other sword you could buy back in Japan, well there was one small difference, this sword while not giving off energy or a feeling of life, felt empty, hollow, and it was slowly but steadily drawing on his reiatsu.

Immediately he understood what must be done.

Slowly he pushed some of his energy into the sword, he could feel it greedily absorbing any and all that he fed it and after only a few seconds he felt it was ready. "Ryujin Jakka!" simply calling out the name of his soul the blue-hilted Katana was engulfed in a brilliant display of fire, he could feel that familiar life once more within the blade in his hand.

The fire continued to dance along the silver blade of the Zanpakuto but it had settled down enough as to where the hilt and guard were visible, and once more Ichigo was left mildly confused by what he saw. The guard was black, in the shape of a slightly elongated hexagon instead of the bronze circle which he was used too, and instead of the royal purple hilt, it was now a deep grey much like that of burnt ashes, and it was inlaid with red diamonds which resembled the fire that burned throughout his soul.

"Ryujin?" he questioned simply, hoping for an answer. The Zanpakuto in his hands was most definitely Ryujin Jakka, however, it obviously didn't look the same.

" _It is nothing too complicated, simply your soul putting its own personal touch on my blade. You have to remember Ichigo, before we bonded you were the wielder of Zangetsu, a black blade with black reiatsu, your soul is quite dark and this is just its way of changing myself to suit you better._ "

Ichigo nodded in understanding, it made sense. There was one more change to the current blade which he held that all but confirmed what Ryujin said. There was a small red tassel attached to the end of the hilt which swayed slightly every time he moved, kind of like the cloth of his old Shikai and the chain of his Bankai.

Upon leaving the room Ayame who Ichigo was sure hadn't been there a second before seemingly appeared out of thin air announcing that she would be his guide again, something which he had no qualms with after getting over the initial shock of her abrupt arrival.

The walk through the manor was silent but it didn't bother him, he felt good, really good. After sorting out the ordeal with his Zanpakuto he looked at the clothes which had been prepared for him and he couldn't help the nostalgic smile from creeping onto his face as he gazed upon the black Shinigami robes that he was so familiar with.

It was odd, no longer having that once familiar weight on his back. Through thick and thin, all of the ups and downs during his time as a Shinigami, the one constant was Zangetsu, that easily recognized slab of metal he called a sword. Now he had a gentle warmth that radiated from his left hip where his new partner Ryujin Jakka rested. Though the few months of training alone helped speed things along immensely between the two it would still take a while for the bond between Ichigo and Ryujin to really grow deeper, and for the absence of Zangetsu to no longer play so heavily on his mind.

"So, how have things here been since my departure?" he couldn't help but ask that question before arriving at his meeting with the Shinto Trinity. He already had a general idea of what might have happened during his absence but to be honest he hoped he was wrong.

He could see the short-statured girl to his right cock her head slightly, giving him a small glance before facing forwards again once more. "Not very well, Ichigo-sama. The cheerful mood you felt upon arrival has only returned to Takama-ga-hara recently. Your assumed death caused our Lady quite the grief, and when the Sun is wrought with sadness, the world too is enveloped in darkness."

From the corner of her eye, she could see the brief pause in his lengthy stride as well as the downcast look that took over him. He did well to hide it behind that slight scowl and serious face he always seemed to be wearing but she knew Ichigo well enough to guess how he was feeling.

Sure, before his first arrival into the higher planes Ayame had never met the man but she had been one of her Lady's closest personal aid's for many years now and ever since that night so many years ago in which Amaterasu broke all of the rules, jeopardizing the balance of the worlds just to save some young child's life it had been Ayame that her Lady confided in about everything that was Ichigo Shiba.

In all honestly, Lady Amaterasu had been quite literally obsessed with watching him, every moment that she had free from supernatural business and politics was spent in her garden watching the young Ichigo struggle, persevere and grow through the worlds eye. Ayame herself would admit to being quite interested in his life as well, finding herself just as absorbed as her Lady was in observing him. It was because she knew so much about him, what he had been through, how he had struggled and still came out on top that she respected him so much, that she actually felt honoured to be in the presence of a hero such as himself.

Even though he would never refer to himself as such.

"You have no need to feel so burdened, our Lady knew of the risks she would be exposing you to should she follow through with the plan to return your powers." though he offered no verbal response, she could see that her words had placated him somewhat at the very least, a sure sign of his maturing.

Upon reaching the door where the trinity waited for him, memories of his first meeting with Amaterasu came to his mind and this one would no doubt be different. The easygoing mood of the first would no longer be so present, this time there were more serious things to discuss. The details of his absence so far, more importantly how he managed to come back from the dead, something that even still he was unsure of himself. The cryptic words of Zangetsu still hung in his head about this so-called mystery saviour.

Next and more importantly would be the discussion about his future, he would have to see his friends and family again to set things straight with them, however what after that? Go back home and start re-attending school? For some reason that didn't seem so appealing to him anymore. Even more so then that, he had a feeling deep down that he was about to be offered a position which would change his life forever should he accept. It wasn't that he doubted Amaterasu's intentions, but for her to go through all this trouble just to return his powers and send him back home, it didn't add up.

Well, he supposed he would find out right now nonetheless, as the two shoji doors opened he was met with a room much larger than the one he previously met in. Whereas before there was just a small floor level throne, a small table and a few cushions for guests to sit, however now he was in a much grander room. The overall size was probably just as if not greater then his house, only not as tall. Wood floors, white panelled walls, and chandeliers providing light from above.

Servants lined the walls on each side of the room ready and waiting to attend to whatever needs the three before people him could have. The three themselves were sat at a large, oval-shaped table with Amaterasu in the middle giving him a warm and motherly smile, the younger, black-haired man was on the left of herself, he too was giving Ichigo a soft but warm smile much like the ones Ukitake usually had on his face. The third, white-haired and elderly looking man who sat on Amaterasu's right was not smiling, he didn't look hostile towards Ichigo, however, he was watching him intently.

As Ichigo was directed to the seat just opposite of the Goddess of the Sun she started to speak. "I believe that some formal introductions are in order, Ichigo-kun," she stated as he settled in his chair. "I am Amaterasu, the Goddess of the Sun, Head of the Shinto Faction and Shinto Trinity as well as the Commander of the Royal Guard which holds authority over the Seireitei and the Shinigami."

On her right, the wrinkled man let out a huff of air before straitening up in his seat, "My name is Susanoo, Ichigo Shiba, I am the God of the Sea and Storms as well as a member of the Shinto Trinity. I am the head trainer of all members of the Royal Guard."

Finally, the youthful black haired male took his turn, "I am the final member of the Shinto Trinity, Tsukuyomi, also known as the God of the Moon, my role in Takama-ga-hara is the head of foreign relations between the other supernatural factions."

Upon realizing that the introductions were over Ichigo awkwardly tipped his head forward in acknowledgement, unsure if he was supposed to re-introduce himself as well, "uh, I'm Ichigo Kurosaki, well I guess Ichigo Shiba would be best used here. I'm a Shinigami Substitute, I think.." he wasn't sure if he should have said that or not but the whole time here he had been referred to by his Shiba family name and not once as Kurosaki, so obviously it meant a big deal to them.

Amaterasu nodded her head in acceptance of his introduction, awkward as it may have been. "I'm sure you have noticed that while here no one has called you by your mother's maiden name, only by your father's surname. It is not out of disrespect for your mother however in terms of the hierarchy the Shiba's are, or were one of the highest standing families in all of soul society and Takama-ga-hara. Unfortunately, due to Sosuke Aizen, they were ungracefully knocked down from their place as the greatest noble family, but those up here who know the truth about the situation still hold the Shiba's with the highest regard, and you being the heir to the Shiba Clan makes it more so for you."

That was surprising to the teenager, he knew he was related to the Shiba family and at one point his father was the head, however, he didn't know that he was the current heir to the clan, ' _I wouldn't know the first thing about running a clan, let alone one of the five great clans in Soul Society_ '

"I don't know if I'm the right person for a position like that,"

"You shouldn't sell yourself short Ichigo-kun, I believe you would do a fantastic job as clan head but that is neither here nor there, we have gathered here for a different reason than that."

"Sister is right, if you don't mind we would like to hear your tale of what has happened in these few months of your absence," Tsukuyomi replied, "We were made aware of your death at the hands of the very Zanpakuto that now rests on your hip, yet here you are today alive and well before us."

Ichigo figured this question would come early on and didn't really have a problem telling them what happened, other than the test which Ryujin put him through and the goodbye's to Zangetsu, there was nothing too personal that he would want to keep most of the details to himself. "Well, after blacking out in the shrine I awoke in the Seireitei, more exactly the destroyed Seireitei with no recollection of anything that had happened between the moment I defeated Aizen and when I awoke there.

Basically, I came to find out later that it was the test Ryujin Jakka had prepared for me, he wished to find out if I was not only strong enough physically, but mentally as well to wield his blade, as you can guess I failed. I was deemed unworthy by Ryujin and left to die in darkness, and by all rights, I should have, but.."

The pause in Ichigo's tale, as well as the shadowed look that filled his eyes, caused the Trinity to grow suspicious, now they were really curious, "but what..? Ichigo-kun," the Goddess of the Sun probed.

"Instead of dying I awoke once more in a different location, this time my first inner world and both Zangetsu, the old man and my hollow were there waiting for me." that brought wide eyes to the three before him.

"How is that possible? Your Zanpakuto should have been destroyed after using the Final Getsuga Tenshou.." Susanoo questioned more to himself than anyone else, as the creators of the Shinigami the Trinity knew everything about their powers and how they worked. The only subject which they weren't complete masters on was the Zanpakuto due to Oetsu Nimaiya being the one who created them, however, they still knew enough to know that should be impossible.

After a couple more seconds of silent contemplation Ichigo continued, "Yeah, I knew it shouldn't have been possible as well and so I asked them what was going on but they just told me I had been saved by someone, not who, also that the person who saved me collected the memories in my reiatsu to allow me one final meeting with Zangetsu."

He paused once more upon noticing the temperature in the room rise by a hairs breath, so minutely that most would have completely missed it, but Ichigo due to being a wielder of fire now was able to catch it and he knew the cause of it right away as well. Amaterasu had stiffened up at the table and her eyes had narrowed slightly, clearly, she knew something about what happened, or at the very least had an idea.

Ichigo was right, and it was no trivial matter which was why she was taking it so seriously.

' _There are only a handful of people in this world who can complete tasks of such a magnitude that they defy death, and none of them bring good things. Satan and the God of the Bible are dead which rules them out. Hades is an evil and detestable man who would rather kill then save lives, I cannot see him being the one to interfere, though if it was then I doubt it would be for a good reason. That leaves the divine pair, the Apocalypse Dragon, and the Infinite Dragon, though they are not evil beings they also care nothing for this or any other world choosing to instead stay to themselves in the silence of the dimensional gap, thus both of them are unlikely._ '

"I won't lie to you Ichigo-kun, that fact that some unknown person or entity saved you bothers me, I have idea's on who it could be however each one is so improbable and ridiculous that I just cannot see it happening, however, myself and my brothers will look into it for you. Just know that you have nothing to fear, we will protect you no matter what." She finished with a smile again, Tsukuyomi smiled as well and Susanoo merely grinned with giving a nod of his head.

Ichigo was grateful for their words and said so while returning their smiles with one of his own, however deep down he was bothered by this turn of events. If whoever saved his life really was bad news, so much so that he required protection from the Shinto Trinity then he would need to grow stronger, he didn't regain his power just to be protected again, he did it so that he may protect others.

" _Worry not Ichigo. Even now your power strengthens and that will only increase as we return to our official training, and eventually, once you are ready for my Bankai there will be few in this world who will be able to threaten you._ "

' _ah, I know, thanks Ryujin._ '

With that over and settled, it was time to return to his tale, "After finding out how they were there with me it was time to figure out the 'why' as well. They told me that it was a lesson, one last lesson in which they would finally impart me with all of their knowledge.

We fought for many days without rest and during those days I learned all of the secrets of my soul, and when the time came in which we needed to say goodbye I pierced them with my blade and they once more became one with me, however, things didn't stop there. The first thing I did after leaving my inner world was a hunt for the seal which held my powers at bay, the seal which Zangetsu placed on me at birth. Upon finding the seal I broke it, releasing all of my hidden potential, that was where my problems started though."

Tsukuyomi and the other two caught on quickly to what Ichigo was implying, "I see, because you no longer had Zangetsu you were unable to control the power which you awoke."

The teen nodded in the affirmative, "Right, I couldn't risk hurting weak souls by going near them with the amount of reiatsu I was constantly releasing but I still needed someones help to figure out why I couldn't pull in that power. The only person I could think of which was alone was Ryujin, thus using the Quincy's shadow which I learnt from old man Zangetsu I transported myself to his world where we briefly fought once more, after which he accepted me as his wielder and since then we have just been training, training so that I may return here."

Silence once more overtook the room, the story had been told and there were no more questions that the Trinity had for Ichigo so, for now, they would take a quick break and eat, something that Ichigo was very grateful for since he had yet to eat since his initial departure. However, once the feast was done with it was back to business.

"So tell us Ichigo, what are your plans for the future now? Will you be remaining in Takama-ga-hara for some time yet? You are more than welcome to stay." Susanoo spoke simply, not trying to hide the implications from his words.

"First and foremost I'm going to see my family and friends, set things straight with them, but I suppose that isn't what you meant, is it?" he questioned, earning a cheeky grin from the eldest of the three. ' _Well, I knew this was coming eventually, so let's hear it._ ' slowly the corner of his own mouth twisted up in an almost unnoticeable smirk, _almost_ , the three across from him noticed it quickly, "I suppose it all depends, there wouldn't happen to be something you'd like to say to me pertaining that decision, would there?"

"Indeed there is Ichigo-kun. I will not 'beat around the bush' as the saying goes, I would like you to cross the parallel and be the front line peacekeeper and representative for the Shinto Faction, a position that myself nor my brothers can fill ourselves due to our standings."

" _I see, so the role of an enforcer essentially, a frontline fighter who puts those who threaten the balance of peace in their place, almost like what your role as a substitute Shinigami was. The decision will be yours to make Ichigo, just know that whatever it is that you chose I will stand by you and our flames will reduce any enemy to ash._ "

Unnoticed by the three before him Ichigo briefly brushed the hilt of his Zanpakuto, a gesture showing his appreciation towards Ryujin, "You know, It's not that your offer sounds bad or anything, but.. I've never been very good at following orders."

Much like when they first met, Susanoo burst out into laughter which filled the room they were in, Tsukuyomi and Amaterasu followed suit just in a much more reserved manner, "I am well aware Ichigo-kun, that is why your position would be somewhat.. unique."

"oh? I'm listening."

* * *

It was weird, finally being back on the marble bridge in which he first arrived on. It seemed like so much time had gone by when in reality it had only been a couple of months, perhaps time seemed so warped because of all that had changed since he came here. Nothing much in the way of outward appearance, he was a little taller, his hair a little longer and his body a little more built with muscle much like he was when he fought Aizen, in simplest terms, physically he was at his peak. The largest changes, however, came mentally, his thoughts were a little clearer, his movements a little sharper, his emotions no longer so hard to control.

Most importantly, however, was his outlook. His understanding of life, his understanding of the world and those with power, the understanding of having power himself and what he truly wished to do with that power, _protect_. His understanding of what it really meant to want to protect someone or something.

Quite simply he had matured, much faster then anyone his age should need to but that's how it had always been and so once more he did.

Currently, on the bridge it was only Ichigo and Ayame, the Shinto Trinity were unable to be present for his departure due to having another faction to meet with before Ichigo's visit home was finished and thus had already given their farewells to the young Shinigami. It wasn't like he would be away from the higher planes for long anyway. Just a quick return to set things straight and then he would be right back in Takama-ga-hara preparing for the next stage of his life.

"Well, I guess this is goodbye for now, Ayame."

"Indeed it is Ichigo-sama. I wish you good luck on your visit home."

"Thanks, I think I'll need it," he replied, letting out a small laugh.

Slowly he turned and started moving towards the golden archway, reaching a finger out to tentatively probe the gate much like he did the first time passing through, after being chased by the cleaner in the Senkaimon and nearly falling into oblivion in the Garganta he was pretty weary of world penetrating gates. Sure the Schatten Bereich was complete darkness which left his feeling horribly alone but at least it was safe.

Looking back over his shoulder he gave a warm smile, bringing a light dusting of pink to the cheeks of the girl who had helped him during his stay, and with one more small wave he was off jumping into the darkness.

* * *

~ Urahara's Underground Training Area

"I don't know about this after all Yoruichi-san.." the shady shopkeeper commented as he narrowly dodged the many fists which came at his body, maybe in their younger days he would have been able to keep up better but his old friend hadn't earned the title of 'Goddess of Flash' for nothing. It was only thanks to the extra reach granted to him by his Zanpakuto which forced her to stay at farther distances, nullifying her speed to an extent that allowed him to safely dodge most of her attacks, the ones that did connect only lightly grazed his body. Though because they were enforced with reiatsu they still hurt a fair bit.

Yoruichi merely felt her face settle into a bit of a frown at that, "Hah?! Don't be such a big baby Kisuke! It's been a long time since we were able to let loose like this, and besides-" she was forced to pause quickly as the shimmering Benihime narrowly missed her shoulder, "After everything that's happened it's kind of nice to release this frustration, you know?"

In truth he did know what she was talking about, frustration, anger, sadness, the feeling that he had somehow let Ichigo down, all of that had constantly plagued his mind ever since the death had been confirmed, constantly building until he felt like he would explode. Her initial offer for a spar came out of nowhere earlier that day however it wasn't unwelcome.

He couldn't help but let a crooked smile on his face, "I do, Yoruichi-san, believe me, I do."

"Heh, so stop moping around and come at me then!" and come he did, Yoruichi was almost taken back by the sudden shift in her longtime friend, despite his goofy and carefree outward appearance he was a lethal and powerful Shinigami, and the feel of cold steel brushing her skin as she barely managed to dodge the rapid strikes was proof of that.

Body blurring even to someone as experienced as Urahara she vanished in a burst of Shunpo, reappearing just long enough to strike at his exposed abdomen and back only fully connecting once every second or third punch before she would vanish again, so quickly that only her afterimage would remain.

They weren't sure how long this game of cat and mouse went on for, Yoruichi's speed and hand to hand combat versus Urahara's Kido and skill with a blade, however at the end of their spar they were left panting and out of breath, littered with many cuts of varying sizes and bruises to match. In fact, they were so distracted that they failed to notice the third reiatsu signature which had entered the training room at some point during there battle.

The sound of soft clapping caused both of them to jump a little in surprise before turning in the direction that the noise originated from. There, at the base of one of the boulders which had survived their spar was the one man they thought they would never see again, stood there with that same casual smirk he always wore on his face.

It was like their brains were in a state of denial, they were seeing him with their own eyes but their minds were denying the truth of the situation, Ichigo had been confirmed dead by the Shinto, so why was he now stood before them in Shinigami attire like nothing had ever changed?

It seemed that Yoruichi was the first to regain her senses, Urahara followed shortly after as he felt the familiar jump in reiatsu that accompanied his longtime friend's activation of Shunko, one second she was there and the next she was gone, covering the distance between herself and Ichigo in the blink of an eye. Urahara's vision just caught up at the last second to see her fist connecting with the orange haired teen's jaw before he was sent crashing backward through every rock, big or small, that crossed his path.

Once more she flickered from his view chasing the rocketing teen across his basement, deciding that it would be best not to let her beat him into the ground he quickly followed however upon catching up he was relieved to see a much less violent scene taking place. Ichigo was leaning up against – halfway embedded in – the rock that eventually stopped his path of destruction, oddly enough his injuries were completely healed already, not even blood remained from the wound he had just seconds ago.

Yoruichi was kneeling down in front of him, tears streaming down her cheeks as she shook him violently by his Shihakusho, any thoughts Urahara had of getting his own revenge on the former Shinigami Substitute for making them worry so much and eventually having them believe he was dead vanished upon seeing his eyes.

Ichigo had punished himself enough as it was, the shopkeeper knew him well enough to know that this whole time he was probably torturing himself, feeling like scum knowing what he had put everyone through. He would let Yoruichi's Shunko empowered fist to the face mark the end of it, at least on their part, there are many other people who would undoubtedly want a piece of him after all this.

"It's been a while Kurosaki-san, if I knew you were coming I could have prepared some tea for you."

The teen would be outright lying if he said he didn't appreciate Urahara's lighthearted joking right now, "ah, it has Urahara-san, Yoruichi-san." Upon saying the name of his former Shunpo and Hakuda teacher his arms tightened their grip around her body, pulling her closer, thankfully her tears had stopped but he would let her hug him for as long as she wanted.

A few more seconds of silence passed before the tanned goddess herself spoke up, her words leaving no room for debate, "You have a lot of explaining to do Ichigo."

His face took on a sullen look once more, "Believe me Yoruichi-san, I know I do." Glancing towards Urahara this last part was directed towards him, "Although it's quite the story so maybe we can gather the gang here that way I'm only saying it once."

The man in question nodded in acceptance, "and your family?"

"No," he replied with a shake of his head, "I'll tell my Oyaji and sisters separately tonight, they deserve that much."

Urahara nodded once more, Ichigo was right, sure he owed his friends an explanation, but his family? That was far more important and they deserved to have Ichigo all to themselves when they heard everything that had happened since his disappearance and later 'death.' Waving over his shoulder he signalled for the other two to follow him back upstairs where he would need to locate Tessai, they were going to need a lot of tea for this conversation.

* * *

~ A/N:

 **Alright, so not much to say about the chapter itself, I know the time skip at the start it going to seem lazy on my part, however, I don't think it was really that bad of me, nor something we really needed to read. It's obvious how everyone was going to react, we know the Bleach characters well enough to know who would cry and who would be pissed. I think the more important scenes will be the return ones which I will be writing.**

 **This chapter really just took so long because I knew what I wanted to write, just not how I wanted to write it. I don't really plan anything out, just write off the top of my head so sometimes it takes a little longer to post things but it's what works best for me.**

 **If you have any thoughts on the chapter than feel free to leave a review, I'm always looking to improve my writing and so constructive feedback is appreciated. If you have any questions then feel free to message me, I always reply when I can.**

 **\- Vertius**


	7. Chapter 7

**Hey everyone, Vertius here with Chapter 7. Jeez, this chapter was such a pain in the butt to write. I knew exactly what I wanted to put into it but no matter how hard I tried I just couldn't get it right, it just kept fighting me every step of the way. I've been sitting on this completed chapter for about a week now just revising and revising and revising it some more. I finally got it to this point where I'm pretty happy with it, but that's enough of my ramblings, I hope you all enjoy.**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own Bleach, Highschool DXD, nor any of their respective characters.**

* * *

Guardian of the Dead

\- Chapter 7 -

~ Urahara Shop

Ichigo and Yoruichi walked at a much more relaxed pace back towards the ladder, neither deeming it necessary to say anything. Ichigo was happy to be back in such a familiar location along with familiar faces and good friends. He knew things were definitely going to be stressful in a short while and he would admit he wasn't all too anxious to see everyone again even though he knew it would be fine, still in the back of his mind there was that little pinprick of doubt that they wouldn't be able to forgive him.

Yoruichi was silent for a different reason, yes she was happy just being back with Ichigo again, however she was having mixed feelings about what she sensed around him. She wasn't frightened, she would never be scared of Ichigo because she knew he would never harm her, however, he still felt terrifying. As she walked alongside him she could feel a deceptively comforting warmth brushing over her body, deceptive because unlike someone as well trained in sensing reiatsu as her, she could feel the lethality below the initial warmth, the super-heated reiatsu pricking at her skin, promising a slow and painful death should she challenge him.

She felt it upon meeting his gaze too, as soon as their eyes met she felt so small, like she was staring up at a giant, if she had to describe it she would say it was like being in the presence of the Captain Commander, a sense of hopelessness immediately fills your body, and you know that no matter how much you struggle against it this titan could crush you with an unrelenting and unparalleled force.

She understood now what Kisuke had meant when Ichigo first left to Takama-ga-hara. He said with the utmost certainty that even if Ichigo managed to return back here, he would never return as the same person they all knew, it was impossible, and now being in his presence she could understand what her longtime friend meant.

"-san"

"uichi-san"

"Yoruichi-san!"

Finally, after the third call, the woman in question jumped, flushing slightly in embarrassment having realized that her companion had been trying to get her attention for a while now, glancing over to the orange haired man next to her she was met with concerned eyes, "What's up, Ichigo?"

His eyes quickly flicked to the area in front of him, an action she mimicked, "We've been stood at the base of the ladder for a couple minutes now but you were so deep in thought that I didn't want to say anything, is everything alright?"

She was honestly having a hard time staying focused again, ' _I could get lost in those eyes of his, dammit._ ' Ichigo had always had a very powerful and deep gaze, however now with them filled with so much concern, and directed right at her, she was finding it hard to stay focused, ' _but it would be best not to keep him waiting,_ ' she mused, noticing his eyes narrowing slightly at her lack of response, he worried too much. "Yeah, I'm fine Ichigo, just thinking is all, you gave me and Kisuke quite the surprise earlier."

' _Deflection successful,_ ' she didn't like using his guilt to force a subject change, but at the same time she really didn't want to have to admit that his dark and powerful reiatsu was really attractive to her, nor the fact that when he looked at her with those worried eyes her heart skipped a beat.

Ichigo gave her a skeptical look, not sure if he should take her words at face value or not, after a brief second of consideration he decided that it would be best just to take her word, annoying Yoruichi was not on his priority list right now. "Well we should probably head up, I'd like a few moments before everyone arrives to think about things." with those words said he pushed off the ground, launching himself up the dark tunnel, Yoruichi following shortly behind.

* * *

~ A few moments prior

"Oh, Tessai-san~"

"What is it, Boss?" the large dark skinned man asked, appearing behind the owner of the Urahara Shop, he was a little curious about the reason for his longtime friend's sudden change in attitude. Ever since Ichigo's death the man had put up a front, pretending to be back to his old goofy, nonchalant self, however, those close to him could see through it with ease, this was the first time Tessai had seen him genuinely happy since the tragedy.

"We're going to need lots of tea, Tessai-san, an interesting guest has just arrived and I'm sure his friends are going to be thrilled to see him once more."

The large, dark-skinned man's eyes slowly widened, a realization donning on him as his boss strode towards the front room, fan waving lazily in front of his face in a failed attempt at hiding his large smile. ' _It couldn't be.._ ' as Tessai was the main constructor of the many Kido barriers and Seals which made the underground training room what it was he could also tell roughly tell who and how many people were in the large room at any given time.

He had felt the slightest shift in his barrier and was prepared to descend the ladder in case an intruder was upon them but decided to stay put when Kisuke's and Yoruichi's reiatsu stayed neutral, if there really was an enemy then he would be able to sense the killing intent from his two friends. When the former Kido Corps Commander himself sat down and focused on the signature he was baffled at the strong familiarity he got from it, yet at the same time it felt completely different, it reminded him of a less scary Captain Commander, something that he wasn't sure was a good or bad thing just yet.

Though Kisuke's words just now had just all but affirmed what he thought he sensed through his barrier, even the usually stoic man couldn't help but grin slyly as he headed towards the kitchen, that kid just didn't know how to stay down.

* * *

~ Ishida Residence

A slight buzzing which emanated from the young man's pocket forced his train of thought to slip away and a small, unimpressed frown to set onto his features. The third year of high school had started just over a month and a half ago and he was once again studying hard to hold his place atop Karakura High's student rankings. When a moment passed and still the buzzing did not cease the dark haired teen sighed heavily and reached into his pocket digging out the rectangular device which caused his annoyance. His gaze shifted to that of curiosity when he noted the name which was displayed on the caller id, ' _Urahara._ '

It had been a good while since he had last spoken to the man, and though the shopkeeper's eccentric personality was sometimes too much for him to handle he knew that he would not contact someone unless it was for a reason, thus he answered it.

"What is it, Urahara-san?"

[Ishida-san! it's been so long, how nice of you to call me~]

Said teen could tell that this conversation was going to end with a headache for him, he just knew it. "Urahara-san, _you_ are the one that called _me_ , distracting me from my studies I might add, so what is it that you want? It's rare that you contact me."

[ah, I'm doing well, thank you for asking.]

Ishida could feel his eyebrow twitch, ' _Deep breaths Uryuu, just play his game,_ ' the bespectacled teen could hear the practically shit-eating grin on the blond's face so he knew whatever he had to say wasn't bad. His expression shifted slightly downcast as thoughts of his old rival entered his head, ' _We definitely don't need more bad news._ '

When only silence came through the opposite end of the phone Urahara wondered if something had happened, no matter how much he annoyed the young Quincy it was rare for him to not respond to someone, he just wasn't rude like that. [Ishida-san? Are you alright? You didn't hang up on me did you?] there was a slight grunt on the other end at that, Urahara's voice having broken the teen's attention away from whatever had grabbed it.

"As much as I would enjoy ending this conversation right now it's rare that you contact me and thus you must have a reason. I'm loathed to admit that my curiosity has been peaked." he could just feel the smugness radiating off the man on the other side of the phone at that. Surprisingly, the response he got was not as expected.

Suddenly the shopkeeper's tone shifted, seriousness taking over all other emotions, [I've contacted you first, Ishida-san, because I know you can work quickly when it calls for it. I need you to gather the Karakura gang at my shop, something has come up.]

Just as Ishida's mouth opened to respond the line went dead. Hanging up his own phone he set it down softly on the top of the desk before him, slowly his fingers thrummed against the flat surface as his mind raced. Why did Urahara need them together, and at his shop too, why couldn't he just contact them by phone? This whole situation bothered him.

Sighing again he slid his glasses back up the bridge of his nose and re-grasped his phone, finding the number for the healer of their gang he hit call.

[Ishida-kun?] the confusion in her voice was apparent, Ishida didn't ignore his friends but he certainly didn't go out of his way to chat with them either, that just wasn't the way he was, [Is everything alright?] so it was understandable that her first question was this now that he had contacted her.

"I don't know," the young Quincy replied simply. "I just got off the phone with Urahara-san and he told me to gather the Karakura team at his shop, there was no room for debate. I was hoping you would contact Arisawa-san and I would contact Sado-san, we can all meet up at the usual spot."

There was a small pause of silence before a small hum of agreement came through the other end, [Of course, Ishida-kun, I just hope nothing bad is happening again..] she trailed off, voice going weak.

"Me too, Inoue-san." with a small goodbye they both hung up, Ishida immediately getting on with calling his fellow classmate from Karakura High who had fought alongside him many times now, he just wanted to get this over with.

* * *

~ Urahara Shop

With his phone call done he set off to the main room where Tessai, Yoruichi and Ichigo were already waiting. Tessai stood diligently off to the side and Yoruichi right next to Ichigo who despite his rough exterior looked very much aware to the female presence next to him, ' _What do we have here?_ ' he mused, glancing at his dark-skinned friend, mischievous thoughts entering his mind. Sitting down across from the two he shifted his hat back, letting his normally half hidden face be basked in the light of the room.

"I've been curious about this for a while now, Kurosaki-san," Urahara started drawing the young mans gaze, he couldn't help but be momentarily taken back, ' _What power his eyes hold, just briefly meeting them and it felt like there was a weight on my shoulders,_ ' now he really was curious as to what had happened these last months. "I noticed it down in the training room as well but your reiatsu was suppressed quite skilfully, however now that were are in the shop it's like you don't even exist. I can't help but wonder if you are really that skilful at controlling it now or your power simply isn't what it used to be just yet."

With the weight he felt on his shoulders he knew Ichigo was strong once more, but whether he was at the level he was before the Dangai training was unknown to him. He didn't even imagine the possibility that Ichigo was already back at the level he was _after_ the Dangai training with his father, that would just be ridiculous.

At those words a sort of arrogant, but not completely douchey smirk spread across his lips, it was a rare occasion that Urahara was at least partially wrong in an assumption, so to hear it now make him sort of happy, "You were only slightly correct, Urahara-san. I've been training quite extensively in controlling my power since it was reawakened, though progress has been slow. What you felt underground was the extent of my ability so far, and that's only while I'm not in combat. It's only thanks to Ryujin that I'm able to have it suppressed to this extent right now."

Yoruichi let out a small, resigned sigh, "I still can't believe that you have Ryujin Jakka of all Zanpakuto's, as if you weren't powerful enough already." this comment earned a small chuckle from Ichigo, "I feel like I'll regret asking, but just how strong are you right now?"

The Shinigami gained a contemplative look at the question, "in terms of the amount of reiryoku I possess? I'd say I'm almost on par with my state after I completed the Dangai training." he paused as there were muted chocking sounds around him, both Urahara and Yoruichi looked utterly terrified at the thought, Tessai looked quite surprised as well, still, his reaction was much tamer than the other two. They had been informed by those who met Aizen in the real Karakura Town of how Ichigo had quite literally manhandled Aizen and tossed him around like a rag doll.

Ichigo couldn't really blame them, hist post-dangai state was pretty over-powered, at least for this side of the parallel, after speaking with Amaterasu he knew that even his current level of power was insignificant to some of the things that existed out there.

Taking a breath he continued, "If I really wanted to I could have raised that level further in these months I've been away but that wasn't mine nor Ryujin's first priority. Our main goal was to train my control, firstly for the simple convenience it brings, being able to conceal myself is a benefit in many situations. Secondly, and most importantly it was for safety.

Ryujin Jakka is not a Zanpakuto that you can use irresponsibly, if you make a mistake, or try and do too much before you're ready you will kill yourself and a lot of innocent people. It was even more necessary for me who regained all of my powers before actually becoming partners with Ryujin, if I had tried to come here before I was at least at this level lots of innocents would have been in danger."

"So that's why you've been away so long.." the Goddess of flash stated, more to herself than anything.

"Yeah," he affirmed, voice becoming more melancholic, "I wanted to come back as soon as possible but I knew I couldn't. Reiatsu control, Zanjutsu, Kido, Hoho, Hakuda, I've been training day after day, honing all of these skills so that I may return back to the real world stronger, and more suited to protect than ever."

Ever the intelligent one, Urahara had that glint in his eyes, the one that meant he had picked up on something that no one else had, and as he eyed Ichigo curiously from under the brim of his hat, he couldn't shake the feeling that something big was going on. "Kurosaki-san, I wonder why it is that your reiatsu is suppressed so low right now. I understand that even now as we speak you are training yourself, but that doesn't explain why your Zanpakuto is helping you keep it to such a low output, if anything I think that would only hinder your training."

Tessai and Yoruichi both gave Ichigo an intrigued glance, the shopkeepers words ringing true and bringing confusion forth in both of them as well, the young orange haired man had his head down, bangs shielding his eyes as he stared at the green liquid in the cup between his hands, there was a small, reminiscent smile on his face as he thought about how to respond.

"I should have known you'd catch on eventually, as you said, this obviously wouldn't be helping my training very much. The reason for my reiatsu needing to be completely suppressed is because It was decided that the Soul Society would be kept unaware of my current state."

Tilting his striped had down once more he hummed in acknowledgement, "So you aren't staying then? If you suddenly popped up only to vanish once more after being presumed dead it would raise too many questions that the Captain Commander just couldn't answer."

There was a flash of purple as Yoruichi's head whipped to the side so she that she could face Ichigo, her ponytail reacting to the sharp movement, her eyes were downcast, almost in a silent pleading towards the man next to her not to leave them again.

He couldn't meet her gaze, he knew what kind of expression she would be giving him. It didn't feel right just saying sorry to them, because as much as he felt bad that he would be leaving again he wasn't sorry for making the decision he had, he was excited, more so than he had been in a long time. He would stay here for a short while and catch up with everyone, spend time with his family, but soon he would be leaving again, he wanted to explore the other side of the parallel, to experience firsthand everything that really existed. So instead he just reached over and placed a hand on her leg, giving it a light squeeze for comfort.

"You're right, Urahara-san, I have something that _I_ want to do."

Those words were all that needed to be said to convince the three adults in the room with him, ever since his mother had died, everything Ichigo had done was for someone else. From protecting his sisters and friends to later protecting all of the souls of the dead. To finally hear Ichigo say that he wanted to do something for _himself_ , well that was all they needed to hear to accept it.

The young orange haired man involuntarily tensed when four far too familiar signatures brushed on his senses, even though he used to be terrible at sensing people before he could still recognize everyone's reiatsu to a certain extent, now that he had been training in controlling and sensing energy he could easily picture who was walking up to the shop now. The fourth one shocked him quite thoroughly, however, ' _Tatsuki?! When did she get so strong?_ ' in terms of raw power Chad and Ishida still outclassed her by a fairly large margin however he knew Tatsuki was a very skilled and agile fighter, she would definitely use that to her advantage against a stronger opponent.

"It seems they're here."

Glancing up at the man who had just spoken those words he was a little taken back to see his eyes lacking the mischievous glint that Ichigo would have expected to be there, perhaps Urahara knew something about her powers that he didn't like? Maybe something that had to do with what he'd discussed with Amaterasu before leaving Takama-ga-hara? He didn't know but he'd had to keep an ear out, if _they_ were involved with this then Ichigo wouldn't be able to sit back.

The sound of the front bell ringing caused Tessai to move, heading to greet the new guests and lead them to where Ichigo was waiting. They were probably some of the tensest seconds of Ichigo life, listening to the soft padding of footsteps and hushed voices as his friends approached the room, was it too late to run away?

* * *

~ A few moments prior

"Ishida-kun! Sado-kun!"

The thin Quincy and the giant Fullbringer each turned their heads upon hearing their voices called. Inoue was skipping happily down the street with a large smile on her face, Tatsuki who was only a couple steps behind her had a small smile of her own as she told the bubbly girl to watch her step lest she falls and hurt herself.

"Hn," Chad replied, a small thumbs up accompanying his greeting.

Ishida was much more cordial, "Inoue-san, Arisawa-san, good afternoon."

Tatsuki just gave a quick ' _Yo_ ' and a small wave.

Upon reaching them the two males fell into step alongside the girls as they each headed towards the shop where some unknown and hopefully not too serious information awaited them.

Deciding to try and ease the tenseness that was hanging over their heads Ishida asked something he knew would deflect their thoughts, at least until they reached their destination, "So how is your training going, Arisawa-san?"

That question immediately hyped the Karate girl up, eyes lit with emotion she pumped a fist into the air beside her, "Great! I've gotten so much stronger already. That Ginjo guy said my Fullbring is close to being completed already. I can't wait to start training with that big chested cat woman," at those words her best friend turned disapproving eyes towards her.

"Tatsuki-chan! I told you that you shouldn't call Yoruichi-san that anymore."

"Yes yes, sorry Hime, I forgot," Tatsuki didn't look sorry in the slightest but it seemed to appease Inoue.

Ignoring the last comment Ishida once more spoke up, "I hope you finish quickly, the sooner you can stop associating with them the better," Inoue gave him sideways glance at his words while Tatsuki just waved her hand dismissively.

Ishida had made it very clear that he didn't trust Ginjo or the rest of the 'Fullbringers' from the very beginning, though he had nothing to support his unease he was a man that trusted his instinct, and he felt that those people were trouble just waiting to happen. Unfortunately, they were the only people who could truly help Inoue, Chad and Tatsuki understand their powers better and grow stronger, so as much as it bothered him Ishida had no other choice than to just let it pass.

"Me, Chad and Hime were actually supposed to head over there a bit later but then you called saying that the crazy shopkeeper wanted to see us," even though she hid it well it was obvious that Tatsuki was still scared of Urahara after their initial meetings. She knew that especially with her Fullbring now she was a lot stronger than most humans however she also understood through meeting Urahara and having that experience with Aizen that she was pretty insignificant in the greater scheme of things. So while she was still confident in her own abilities, she was no longer too arrogant to not fear anyone.

The sound of crunching gravel filled the dead alleyway as they turned into the open lot that held their destination, oddly enough the place looked dead to the world. Everything was closed up and not a sound could be heard from within, though they could feel the signatures of those inside. Urahara, Yoruichi, Tessai and?

Ishida froze as he tried to pick up anything about the fourth and last signature inside the building, but it was what he felt that threw him off so much.

"What's wrong, Ishida?" Chad asked, not used to seeing his stoic friend get so spooked.

Breaking out of the stupor he was in he pushed his glasses up and spoke in a low tone, "there's someone powerful in there, incredibly so, their reiatsu is masked to a level where I can't even tell who or what they are, yet even with it suppressed to such an extent their presence is so strong that I can feel it weighing down on me all the way out here."

He didn't receive a response, instead, the four teens just stared towards the shop before tentatively walking forwards once more, they trusted Urahara and thus they would still enter even with this unknown presence, they could only hope that nothing serious was happening as Ichigo was no longer here to save everyone anymore.

Or so they thought.

As soon as the familiar chime rang out, signalling their entrance to the shop the tall Kido master was there to greet them, offering a small bow to each of the four teen's before him, one which they all returned. He patiently waited for each of them to set their shoes off to the side before leading them through the winding halls towards the back room.

Tessai was the first one to enter the room again, stepping off to the side to retake his former position against the wall. A few steps behind him was Ishida, though upon his entering of the room his eyes skipped everyone else and shot to the fourth person present, the one who held that terrifying presence he'd felt outside, the man with shockingly orange hair sat calmly at the round table before him. He didn't even care when Tatsuki bumped into him from behind due to his abrupt stop.

"Hey, four-eyes! what's the big idea suddenly stopping like.. that.." the karate girls voice trailed off as she peaked over the Quincy's shoulder to see what caused his sudden freeze up, when her eyes landed on the subject of his dismay it only took a couple of seconds before she brushed passed with a quiet exclamation of ' _Ichigo_ ' and enveloped him in a hug. Screw her tomboy attitude, her childhood friend whom she thought was dead was now sat here right in front of her alive and well, this was no time to act tough.

Upon hearing the name Ichigo, Inoue and Chad immediately followed into the room after Tatsuki, both holding astonished and unbelieving looks, tears brimming in the auburn-haired girl's eyes. When Tatsuki and Ichigo finally released each other Ichigo stood, addressing his friends before him with a deep sorrow in his gaze, "I'm sorry everyone, I know I put you through a lot these last months, I was supposed to get my powers back and go from there but.." he had to pause as thoughts of his test came back to his mind, thoughts of his failure that lead to his death, he slumped forwards as the negative emotions pressed on his heart further.

Before he could fall further into despair, a burst of fire was sent from the depths of his soul, rushing through his veins and burning the dark thoughts away, with the fires of his soul roaring again he continued, "but it didn't go that way, I failed what I had to do and I died for it. I shouldn't be here right now, and truthfully I don't know how or why I am, but the fact of the matter is I was given another chance, and I won't let it slip."

Off to the side, Tatsuki clicked her tongue in mock annoyance, drawing curious looks, "After leaving without telling any of us don't you have something to say, Ichigo?"

That caught the Shinigami off guard, ' _something to say? I already apologized, what could she be talking about,_ ' he was truly baffled for a short time, scrunching his brows up further in confusion with each second that passed. Then with a heavy sigh, one filled with mock exasperation he smiled and spoke again, "I'm back."

"Welcome back," she responded simply. This small exchange seemed to evaporate all the tenseness that they didn't even know was there as everyone relaxed and sat around the table with smiles on their faces. Well almost all the tenseness, Inoue felt horrible because it was her best friend but the hug that Tatsuki had shared with Ichigo bothered her far more than she would have liked. She also didn't miss the subtle movements of Yoruichi as she shifted closer and closer to her crush, nor the way that she purposely brushed against him when there really wasn't a need to, and what really caused the evil entity inside her called jealousy to stir was the fact that Ichigo wasn't bothered by it, in fact, he seemed happy with her close proximity.

As everyone waited for Tessai to finish pouring their tea, Ichigo felt a familiar stirring within him and so pushed his attention inward.

" _All that worrying and for what, Ichigo? It is as I always told you, and as you always knew, what happened previously doesn't matter, they are just happy you are alive._ " Ryujin spoke from the depths of Ichigo's soul, a sense of ' _I told you so_ ' apparent in his voice.

' _Yeah yeah, I knew it would be alright from the start, but it's in a humans nature to continually worry about pointless things or things in which they have no control over._ '

" _You need not remind me, Ichigo. After thousands of years by Shigekuni's side, the mortal's foolishness is well known to me._ "

Those words sparked a thought that he had been trying to suppress recently, the concept of time. It was something he'd been thinking a lot about ever since heading to Takama-ga-hara originally. It had never really struck him before, but after hearing about the mythical creatures of legends like Dragons with near infinite lifespans, the Gods who live for hundreds of thousands if not millions of years, and then on a much smaller scale the current Captain Commander of the Gotei 13 who has lived for at least four thousand years to Ichigo's knowledge, maybe more, and it got him thinking, what would it be like to live so long?

He wasn't so sure he wanted to find out, the prospect of living so long – and he knew that he would – while everyone close to him grew old and eventually passed away meanwhile he'd still be alive and kicking, looking no older than 20 years old. To have to go through a cycle of continually losing friends and family to old age sounded like a really depressing life, one that would bring more sadness than happiness.

Ryujin Jakka, while fully conscious of his wielders inner turmoil chose to stay quiet, there wasn't much he could say in comfort right now. His wielder was young, unbelievably so to the aged Zanpakuto, and of the handful of years he had spent living, only a couple of them were actually as a part of the supernatural. For the first fifteen years, he believed himself to be a normal human who would live a normal life, finish school, get a job, start a family, retire and then pass away when his time was up.

Now, in a span of a couple years, he has had those beliefs thrown to the ground and thoroughly stomped on. After the roller coaster that was his time as a Shinigami, from the simple hollow to the Arrancar, the Bount, rebellious Zanpakuto and traitorous Shinigami, he never once had the chance to just let everything soak in, to come to terms with the life he was born with, the life he was forced to live whether he liked it or not, he never had a chance to just understand and accept anything.

The months of being powerless didn't help either, after being forced to sacrifice parts of his soul in a war he shouldn't have ever taken part in, how was he supposed to just sit down and think about things with the loss of himself constantly weighing on him day by day. Now he has learned of his existence and how he came to be, what he really is, he had a final farewell with Zangetsu and now the wound from that sacrifice may finally begin to heal.

With a new entity bound to his soul and knowledge that the world isn't as small as he thought it was, only the thing that he fears – time – will allow him to come to terms with and move on from the thoughts that weigh him down. Only as the unending flow of time continues will he be able to grow and mature, to live with the cruel hand that fate has dealt him and to find happiness in the long life that awaits him.

On the outside, Ichigo's former classmates and friends were struggling with the situation. Even though they thought he had died, that they would never get to see him again, now that he was right here in front of them they found that they were at a loss for words, they didn't know what to say to him, or where to even start. Urahara words from before rang clearly in their heads, ' _You must be prepared to accept that if he comes back, he will not be the same person that he was before._ '

It's always been said that a person's eyes are the gateway to their soul, and as the four teenagers gazed into the deep brown of their unofficial leaders they realized that truer words had never been spoken. Whatever happened while he was away, whatever he was made to go through during these few months of separation, he had come out from it a different man than when he went in.

The age, wisdom, and power he now held in his gaze made the four realize that their friend was farther away than ever. He'd always been ahead of them, even as they walked alongside him it felt as if they were gazing at his back, always so close but yet too far to actually touch, now though, he was in a different world from them, a world in which they could never reach.

Urahara could see the unease in the four and it was understandable, they most definitely didn't expect to see Ichigo again when he called them to his shop, and to find out that he had changed so much wouldn't be helping anything either, so in hopes of making things easier on the group he opened things up. "I must say, Kurosaki-san, I never expected you of all people would be able to seal your Zanpakuto,"

At that comment a sadistic smirk slowly crept into the teens face, creeping out those in the room with him, "I almost forgot about that, thanks for reminding me Hat n' Clogs," the man in question was raising his arms in surrender as Ichigo's hand slid across the hilt of his sword, "You bastard, you told me I had too much reiatsu to suppress when in reality you just didn't want to take the time and teach me."

The shopkeeper chuckled nervously and instantly felt regretful at bringing the subject up, "Now now, Kurosaki-san, let's not be too hasty here, I think you would agree that we never had the time to undertake such a project."

He couldn't really deny that it would have probably taken him a lot longer to gain the small amount of control he had now if he wasn't able to train all day, every day with Ryujin before he returned to Takama-ga-hara. With a soft shake of his head his smirk lost the sadistic touch it had before, "Yeah I suppose, everything worked out in the end so I guess it doesn't matter now."

"That's good to hear, I fear that I'd be reduced to ashes if we were to fight now," Kisuke replied with a mirthless smile, the scariest part of his statement was that he wasn't joking in the slightest.

His remark drew puzzled frowns from the four who weren't actually aware of the changes Ichigo had gone through, "The last time I checked Zangetsu wasn't capable of controlling fire, and while I no longer doubt Kurosaki's uncanny ability to do the impossible I feel like it isn't so simple this time."

"You're right, Zangetsu couldn't control fire, however, _this_ ," he grasped the hilt of his blade for emphasis, "this isn't Zangetsu."

The Quincy's eyes slowly widened, "What do you mean? You're clearly a Shinigami once more, how is that you don't have Zangetsu?"

"Because just having my powers returned cannot reverse the damage that I caused. When I used the Final Getsuga Tenshou I sacrificed a part of my soul that I will never get back." only Yoruichi, Urahara and Tessai truly understood the significance of what it meant when Ichigo said he lost part of his soul, his human friends could guess but without having a Zanpakuto of their own they could never fully understand.

"So is that not a Zanpakuto then, Kurosaki-kun?" Inoue asked, glancing down at the blade which lay next to him.

"It is, do you all remember the incident with Toshiro and his old friend Kusaka?" after receiving nods from his human friends – Tatsuki as well since she had been told about all of their adventures and thus she understood what Ichigo was referring to – "Well whoever said that his Hyorinmaru is the only Zanpakuto that can have multiple wielders?"

His statement was met with looks of understanding, though now it rose the question, who's Zanpakuto was it?

"This sword is Ryujin Jakka, and it is the Zanpakuto of the current Captain Commander of the Gotei 13, Shigekuni Yamamoto." Dead silence met that statement, only when the implications of his words finally clicked a few seconds later did he get a response, one that was quite expected to be honest.

"What?! What were you thinking?!" Ishida demanded, voice risen in one of the rare moments which his calm composure couldn't keep up, "What if they find out? There's no way you can defeat that man in a fight, he's the strongest Shinigami born in a thousand years for a reason, and I doubt that the governing body would make an exception to the rule, even for you Ichigo-" Ishida went silent, having immediately caught onto his slip up.

Ichigo just grinned at him, "I appreciate your concern, _Uryuu_ , but what they don't know won't hurt them." his grin widened when he saw the Quincy twitch, not only at the use of his first name but the emphasis put on it as well.

Stepping in for the frazzled teen Tatsuki spoke up, "Look Ichigo, there is no way they won't notice that you have a Katana now instead of that huge chunk of metal you used to call a sword, I would know, I've seen it a couple times. Not to mention you wield fire now, last time I checked changing powers wasn't a normal thing, there is no way you can hide it."

"Normally you would be right Tatsuki, however, it's been decided that my existence is to be kept a secret from the Soul Society."

That was a sobering statement, they'd never expected to hear something like that. It was no secret that he had many friends over there, and some he considered to be family, so it was hard to believe that he would go along with something like this. They could tell from his expression that he wasn't happy with it, so why then was he agreeing to it?

"You've never been one to follow orders Kurosaki, especially not one like this, just who was it that you met?"

His response was short and simple but the weight of his words was not lost on them, "The creator of the Shinigami."

Ishida let out a deep sigh as he pinched the bridge of his nose, pushing his glasses up in the process, "I told myself that I'd stop letting it get to me, but I just can't fathom this insane ability you have to draw everything and everyone under the sun towards you. I didn't think it was possible for one person to break the laws of common sense as many times as you have."

A round of laughter erupted at those words, the room couldn't blame Ishida for looking absolutely exhausted after hearing the tale of Ichigo's most recent adventure. Action, drama, mystery, hardship, triumph, his story had it all, just what they'd expect from him.

Ichigo had been pretty forthcoming with the events that had happened, obviously changing certain details like some names and places, it wouldn't do well to go announcing the existence of Takama-ga-hara, the Shinto Trinity and everything else. As far as his friends knew he had been spending time up in the Royal Palace with the Zero Division. The one detail he did give away which told a lot more then one would think was that the creator of the Shinigami he went to meet _wasn't_ the Soul King.

The Soul King was thought to be the highest existence in this world, if the Shinigami were created by someone else then that meant there was at least one person of a higher being then the Soul King, and if there was one then who's to say that there wasn't more.

Tatsuki, who had been rather quiet since Ichigo had started telling everyone where he had been and what had happened while he was there had a troubled look on her face as she stared at the clasped hands in her lap. "Hey Ichigo," she spoke up softly, cutting off the light conversation which had taken over. Her childhood friend gave a short hum of acknowledgement as he turned to look at her. "Just how big really is everything out there, how much of what we believe to be fairy tails is real?"

He didn't reply right away, instead looking out the small window on the far wall, as the seconds passed his eyes glossed over as thought and memories took him away, finally with a voice filled with wonder he responded, "it's _massive_ ," they could see the yearning in his eyes as he remembered all that he'd seen, "Things that you wouldn't even believe could be real are. Shinigami, Hollow, Quincy.. in the grand scheme of things were all insignificant, just small parts of a much bigger picture."

"You want to go back." It wasn't a question but a statement from Ichigo's brother in arms, it was clear to them that whatever it was he seen when he was away, he wanted to explore it further, to learn and experience more.

Inoue looked shocked and saddened when he didn't deny it, "but what about Karakura Town, your friends, and family, who will protect them if you're gone Kurosaki-kun."

It was a weak excuse, everyone knew it, but they still couldn't blame her, no one wanted Ichigo to go, however, if this was what he wanted then they had to accept it. After everything he gave for them, if they refused his happiness in return right now then they wouldn't be deserving of him.

"You guys will, there's no one that I trust more to protect our home then everyone in this room right here," and that was the truth. It wasn't that he distrusted his friends from the Soul Society, but they were bound to that organization and their duties, thus weren't able to be here every day like his human friends and mentors were. "and don't forget, my Oyaji may have more than a few screws loose but he's a former Shinigami Captain too, one that was able to fight and push Aizen to what he deemed his 'limit' without even releasing his sword. I know you guys can handle everything."

Inoue couldn't refute that, if there was an enemy that managed to take out not only the four of them but the four former Shinigami Captain's as well then the Soul Society would have to come to their aid because it would mean that the threat was something they couldn't ignore. Even without Ichigo, this town and everyone in it was completely safe.

"As much as I appreciate the vote of confidence I don't have superpowers like you guys, I can't really do much against those Aizen types."

Ichigo let out a soft hum as he eyed Tatsuki, he could see a spark of amusement in her eyes and right away he knew what was going, ' _They think I still can't sense reiatsu. It's likely they were going to surprise me with it but.. I think it would be more amusing to see the looks on their faces if I burst the bubble._ '

With the curious eyes of his mentors on him and the help of Ryujin he rose two fingers and pointed them at Tatsuki, "Hado #4, Byakurai."

When the pale bolt of lightning fired out of his fingers the four teens immediately panicked and Tatsuki crossed her arms in front of her to block as a green light enveloped her hands, the three adults, however, did nothing, they could feel that the spell was very weak, probably not even strong enough to cut through a piece of wood. His Zanpakuto must have helped with controlling the output however the forming of the spell was all Ichigo and they had to admit it was an impressive bit of Kido he just pulled off, it was obvious how hard he'd been training these last few months.

Oddly enough, instead of freaking out at him for suddenly attacking her like he did Tatsuki softly pouted instead, "You knew, didn't you?"

Ichigo gave a cheeky grin and chuckled, "I could tell that your power had jumped drastically before you even got here."

"Che, way to take the fun out of it." she was pouting even further now, prompting everyone to laugh once more.

Glancing down at her hands he noted that her power was very simple, yet it suited her well. She had two, slightly clawed gauntlets covering her hands with the blackened steel extending up her arms in a layered pattern almost reaching her elbows. Much like himself, Tatsuki was a fighter that made use of her speed and agility to defeat her opponents so these two gauntlets were perfect for her, not only would they add more destructive force to her blows but she would gain a great deal more protection from other hand to hand combatants but also against weapons as well.

"So what's the story with those?" in actually Ichigo already knew what had been going on but he couldn't just admit it. He needed to just go with the flow for now, and when it was time to confront the Fullbringers he would find out what they were really up to, and then make his decision about what to do with them.

"I hated my weakness. I've always prided myself on being the second strongest girl in Japan, but after coming face to face with Aizen and experiencing the supernatural world firsthand, I realized how powerless I actually was and I hated it." she paused briefly, head tilted downwards, she was a prideful girl and so admitting something like this, even to close friends wasn't the easiest.

"It didn't make things any easier when you four finally came clean to us all after the war finished. To learn about everything you guys had gone through, all of the injuries you sustained in the countless battles you fought, to learn that Ichigo had actually died once, all to protect your friends, family, Karakura town. When I learned all of that, knowing that I couldn't do anything to help, I didn't want that anymore, and so I came here."

All attention now shifted towards the shopkeeper for a continuation of the story, "Yes, I was surprised when Arisawa-san showed up here one morning asking me to help her awaken powers of her own. I will admit that I didn't have high hopes from the start, she is a normal human with no supernatural heritage, and while she too was exposed to both your massive reiatsu and the Hogyoku's influence like Inoue-san and Sado-kun, it was in a much smaller dose thus her powers hadn't developed enough for her to naturally awaken a unique ability like the former two did.

However, even though my expectations were low I did my due diligence and ran some tests, unfortunately, in the end, I determined that there was nothing I could do to help her. Cutting her chain of fate wouldn't have worked due to her lack of dormant Shinigami powers, she would have simply become a hollow, and without the Hogyoku's presence accomplishing a feat like Inoue-san and Sado-kun were impossible."

"I remember that, Tatsuki-chan came to my house later that evening and told me about it, she had wanted to surprise us with powers of her own but it didn't work out. I hated seeing her so down and that was when I came up with the idea of asking Ginjo-san. After telling Sado-kun we agreed that since we were going to their base for more training the next day, Tatsuki-chan could come along and talk to him about maybe gaining her own Fullbring."

Ichigo jumped in quickly, he already knew the answer to any questions he might have had otherwise however he had to keep up appearances, "Fullbring? What's that? Who is this Ginjo?"

"Ginjo-san is the leader of a group called Xcution which houses five of the original seven Fullbringers, the other two betrayed the original five and thus are considered enemies, however now with Tatsuki-chan, Sado-kun and myself there are eight members. Fullbring is a power used by spiritually gifted humans who have the powers of hollows due to their parents surviving a hollow attack before their birth."

At those words Ichigo's eyes shot towards the blond shopkeepers, upon their gazes meeting the young man noted that Urahara held the same opinion as he did, something didn't add up with the whole situation. Neither Tatsuki or Inoue had parents who were attacked by hollows before they were born, and even if they did they didn't possess a single hint of hollow reiatsu within their bodies.

Chad was the easiest one in all this, Ichigo didn't know if his parents had a run in with a hollow or not but it was true that Chad had always held hollow reiatsu within him, the Hogyoku just made it stronger and helped it awake sooner. Inoue could be loosely passed over due to her exposure to the Hogyoku, it obviously had some effect on her which is why she has the so-called 'Fullbring' but Urahara said it himself, Tatsuki wasn't exposed to the Hogyoku long enough for it to have enough of an effect on her to manifest her own powers, and she didn't possess any hollow reiatsu, so how did her powers manifest?

Shifting his sight to the right a little he met the hard gaze of his lone Quincy friend, ever the smart one, it would seem that Ishida had some qualms about everything as well. "What do you think about it, Ishida?" Ichigo was genuinely curious what his friend and rival thought, but this also worked in his favour as it made it seem like he was gathering information for the first time.

In typical Ishida fashion before he could start speaking he shifted his glasses up the bridge of his nose letting the light hit them at just the right angle to cause an ominous glare, "I've only met this Ginjo character briefly, however, I don't like him one bit. He is a suspicious man who's true motivations are unknown, his appearance was a little too convenient for my liking."

"Hoh? What happened?"

"It happened about a month before your disappearance. Sado-kun and I were walking home from school as our paths are the same for a few blocks before we eventually split and go our separate ways. A little ahead of us on the street was another man who we now know to be Ginjo walking alone, after walking for another minute or so a robber came running up the street behind us and snatched Ginjo's bag, at the time I had never met him and thus thought nothing suspicious about him, I just assumed that it was a simple robbery and so I apprehended the criminal and returned Ginjo's bag.

My suspicions first arose when I handed him the bag and out hands briefly touched, he was good at hiding it but he had an aura very similar to Sado-kun's and it was tainted with that of a hollow. I thought to myself, just what are the odds that the man we save shares the same sort of unknown power as Sado-kun? In the end, he offered to buy me some ramen as thanks but I turned him down and from there we went our separate ways."

Ichigo mulled over the words that had been spoken so far as the Quincy took a short break to have a sip of tea for his parched throat, he could already see where this was going, but he would have to wait for the full story to completely put the picture together.

With a soft clearing of his throat, he was ready to continue, "Everything was quiet and back to normal for the first couple weeks after the initial meeting, just as the third week was closing in Sado-kun brought it to our attention that he had been contacted by Ginjo. The man admitted that he shared the same powers and wished to talk to him about something, Sado-kun accepted and accompanied Ginjo back to their base.

The meeting was fairly straightforward, he told Sado-kun about his group 'Xcution' and of the other members who shared the same powers as him, he offered a position in their organization and should he accept then Ginjo would help train Sado-kun in the use of his Fullbring."

"I was suspicious, so I agreed to talk with him," Chad said, bringing the attention to him now, "I asked him how he knew of my power, he was honest in saying that he had done some research on me and everyone else."

Ichigo's eyes narrowed ever so slightly at that, "Why?" was the simple question he asked. The orange haired man was close to putting it all together, he just needed a little bit more.

"He said they needed your help, as a Substitute Shinigami the only person who could remove their powers from them is you, Ichigo."

' _ah, I understand now,_ ' that was all Ichigo needed to hear to fully connect the dots, he understood what Ginjo's true goal was and it was apparent that he would be needing to pay these 'Fullbringers' a visit. "So I get why Chad met with this Ginjo, but how did things get to where they are now, you said that all three of you are members right?"

"Well Sado-kun and Ishida-kun were both suspicious still and so they decided it would be best for Sado-kun to stick around and see what he could learn about them. Ginjo-san did make good on his promise and was helping Sado-kun train his fullbring, things were going really well so eventually, we decided that it would be beneficial for me to meet them as well and hopefully train my powers too."

Ichigo nodded in understanding and gave a thankful smile towards the healer of their group, "Thanks everyone, I understand everything now and I think it would be best if I met them, these Fullbringers. I'd like to hear more about their problem, if I really can help them then I'd like too, it would be a good way of paying them back for all the assistance they've given you guys."

"I thought the Soul Society wasn't allowed to know you were alive Ichigo? If you start heading out like normal they'll spot you."

"Don't worry Tatsuki, Urahara-san has it covered."

The shopkeeper instantly found many expectant looks on him, everyone was curious as to how Ichigo would be able to stay hidden. "When myself, Tessai-san and Yoruichi-san first came to Karakura town we needed a way to keep ourselves hidden from the Soul Society while at the same time not using anything too drastic or large that would alert them of our location instead of actually hiding us.

With Tessai-san's mastery over Kido, and my knowledge of science we were able to devise a new multi-function Kido barrier that would suit our needs. With Yoruichi-san's mastery over everything stealth related she was able to set up the various beacons and their own protective seals all throughout Karakura town. Individually the beacons aren't that helpful, but together they form a giant dome around the city which we have full control of, and since it is composed of many smaller beacons instead of one large one, Soul Society cannot detect it even with their most powerful sensors.

This dome allows us to let the Soul Society see what we deem acceptable, and on the opposite side we can also hide anything we wish from them and they would never be any the wiser to it."

With that said any worries the group of teenagers had of Ichigo being detected were evaporated. Ichigo was pleased to find out that the group actually had a scheduled training session with Xcution today and even though they had to push it back they could still go, he was disappointed that he would have to wait longer to see his family again but this was important, it would only be a quick meeting to feel things out and then he would race back home to the Kurosaki Clinic.

As Inoue, Chad, Tatsuki, and Ishida stood to go wait outside Ichigo pulled Yoruichi to the side to have a quick chat with her.

"What's up, Ichigo? It's not like you to try and get some alone time with me."

He could feel a slight flush on his cheeks but he did well to ignore her comment and the smirk on her face, he'd rather not embarrass himself in front of her _again_. "I need a favour, Yoruichi-san, I'll pay you back as soon as-"

A swift smack to his head stopped him before he could finish, Yoruichi had a small frown on her face as well, "Ichigo, you don't need to 'pay me back', aren't I your friend? Friends don't pay friends back, if you need me to do something I'll do it Ichigo, anything to help you."

Ichigo grimaced, admittedly that wasn't the smartest thing to say, "Ah, you're right, I'm sorry Yoruichi-san. I do see you as my friend- no, your more then that, you are very special to me, I wouldn't be here today without you."

She nodded and gave him a bright smile, "Good, you're special to me too Ichigo, now what is it you need?"

"I need you to follow us to the Xcution base and do some recon on their members. I'm only going to be introducing myself today and setting some bait so nothing should happen, but regardless I need you to watch this Ginjo fellow as he seems to be the leader of their group, if you think there is someone else suspicious then find out what you can from them too."

The goddess of flash nodded slowly, thinking over his words, "Do you know something?"

He gave a small nod of confirmation, "I was given a little information on them before I came here but not everything, after what I was just told I've put a picture together and if my assumption is right then they're up to no good. I need you to find out if I'm just being paranoid or not."

With one more nod she turned to head to her room in the Urahara shop, if she was going on a recon mission then her cat form would be best suited and so her current clothing wasn't very much use. A couple moments later and Ichigo had joined up with everyone else and they had started heading towards the Xcution headquarters, Yoruichi tailing them silently from behind, if Ichigo didn't know she was there beforehand he would have never noticed her, even Ryujin couldn't fully track her reiatsu currently, and he'd been doing this for thousands of years.

The journey there was casual, about three quarters of the way there Ishida split off, the Xcution members didn't like outsiders coming over even if they were friends with the other members and it wasn't as if he had anything to worry about anyways, with Ichigo there even if some sort of altercation broke out the Fullbringers stood no chance of victory.

" _Ichigo._ " the old Zanpakuto called out as they neared their destination.

Ichigo kept walking even though his eyes slightly lost focus as he turned his attention towards his inner sanctum, ' _What is it, Ryujin?_ '

" _I will be releasing my control over your reiatsu until the issue with the Fullbringers is resolved, keep it suppressed to the lowest that your current abilities will allow._ "

The Shinigami rose a curious brow at that, ' _Why? This is an odd time to step up my training, don't you think?_ '

" _This isn't about training, think Ichigo, you know as well as I do what Ginjo Kugo is up too, but do you think he would act if he knew how strong your current self it? Those humans are nothing but ants compared to your power._ "

' _I see, the last information they would've had on me before I lost my powers was that I lacked any semblance of control over them. They will immediately notice from my current state that I have regained them but will assume I still have no control, with you releasing your hold on my power and me suppressing it they will just think I am far weaker then I used to be and will be more encouraged to put their plan into action, whatever that is._ '

A soft clapping rang out in his ears upon finishing, " _Very good Ichigo, I am pleased to see you making use of that intelligence, raw power can only get you so far, a smart fighter will find a way to defeat you._ "

The effect was immediate, a slight gush of air pushed out when the tight grasp was relinquished, it was possible for a Shinigami to completely hide their reiatsu all the time if they trained long enough however it had negative side effects that made it undesirable. When it is completely suppressed it feels as if your body is constantly under pressure and close to bursting, more so when a soul doesn't actively cycle reishi like it would when not completely closed off it causes the body to become stiff and less responsive, that was why even though most Captains possessed the ability to fully suppress their reiatsu they didn't.

His three friends who were accompanying him startled at the sudden release of energy, it wasn't that the reiatsu he was releasing was especially strong or anything however when a Shinigami releases their tight hold on their power it often pulses out at a much higher intensity due to the pressure which had built up, much like a bursting dam will settle down slowly after the initial release of pressure.

Since they had arrived at their destination it wouldn't do well to explain what he was doing, you never know who's listening so he just gave the three teenagers a look that conveyed the words ' _trust me._ ' They each nodded and Chad pulled out a black card, sliding it through the scanner on the wall and punched in a short key code, a second later there was a distinct click and the door edged open.

* * *

~ Xcution Main Base

Despite the old and worn down appearance on the outside of the building, the inside was actually quite lavish with nice furniture, pool tables, and a bar. It was dimly lit and gave of a serene atmosphere that each member found quite enjoyable. Right now, however, the room was quite tense, the Fullbringers original plan was unexpectedly thwarted and their new one seemed like a waste of time to each of the members, they were starting to feel antsy and impatient and that was never a good thing in any group.

"So, where are they Ginjo?"

"I already told you Yukio, they called and said something came up, either they'll be late or they won't come at all today."

"Hmph, I still think this is a waste of time. Even with that new Arisawa girl, their combined powers are still less then Kurosaki's was, why are we still training them?"

Ginjo addressed the dark-skinned woman who had just spoken with an annoyed glare, she had made it very clear since Ichigo Kurosaki's death was announced that they should move on and not waste their time with the kids. "Look, I know that they can't compare to Kurosaki's power but we've invested too much time into this not to get anything out of it, _that's_ why we're still training them. Once they get to an acceptable level we'll take their powers and leave." when the woman made to move to refute his statement he attempted to go back to the magazine which he was reading but it didn't last long.

"Arisawa-san, Inoue-san, and Yasutora-san are approaching, there is an unknown fourth with them." They hid it well but at the bartender's words all eyes shifted to the door, they didn't think the trio would bring anyone dangerous but their definition of dangerous was probably a lot different than the Fullbringers.

"Who is it, Giriko?" Ginjo asked, slowly grasping the pendant around his neck.

"The signature feels much darker then I'm used to but it is undoubtedly a Shinigami." at those words Ginjo's pendant was enveloped in a green light and a moment later his large claymore was formed, it rested upright, tip slightly stuck into the floor as his hand rested lightly on the hilt.

"What do you mean dark? How strong is the Shinigami?"

"The Shinigami is stronger then Yasutora-san, however, his strength does not surpass yours. As for my meaning, it is exactly as my words sound, his reiatsu feels noticeably darker than a normal soul and at the core, there is a sense of corruption like that of a hollow."

A few seconds of silence passed before Ginjo let out a slight sigh, "Che, had me all worried for nothing then," he responded, reverting his claymore back to it's pendant state as he relaxed into his chair once more, "There are Shinigami will Hollow powers, those 'Visored' or whatever, it's probably one of them, I don't know why they'd be coming here but I guess we're about to find out."

As he finished a loud buzzing rang out through the quiet room followed by a loud click and seconds later the door edged open. Chad was the first one through the door, offering a small nod in greeting followed by a neutral looking Tatsuki and smiling Inoue, when the fourth and until then unknown person stepped through the door a couple gasps could be heard because right there in front of them with Shihakusho and Zanpakuto was the supposedly dead man Ichigo Kurosaki.

The small, magenta-haired girl who had been closest to the door at the time was having a mild panic attack, she had seen Ichigo Kurosaki before and he was already really attractive, but now he stood before her taller, more built and with longer hair, and he was absolutely gorgeous. The fact that he was supposed to be dead was completely lost on her. "I-I-Ichigo Kurosaki!" she finally managed to stutter out.

"Yo," he replied, giving her a warm smile. Ichigo could instantly tell that this girl wasn't evil in the slightest, her reiatsu was too pure to be. The rest of the Fullbringers, however, each had varying levels of malice in theirs, the dark-skinned woman and the blond haired kid weren't too bad, however the man behind the bar was a tier up from them and even more than him was the final man sitting in one of the chairs in the lounge, ' _That must be Ginjo._ '

"This is a surprise, Ichigo Kurosaki, I had heard you were dead."

The man had a warm smile on his face as he addressed Ichigo, ' _It seems he's quite the talented actor too,_ ' Ichigo gave a lopsided grin and finally responded, "I was, however one thing most people learn quickly about me is that killing me is only half the battle, the other half is actually keeping me down."

Ginjo had mixed feelings right now, the kid obviously had his powers back even if his reiatsu was far weaker then before, so why did those words sound so frightening to him even though he outclassed the former war hero in power. "So what brings you here? I don't think we've ever formally met."

"We haven't, but imagine my surprise when I come back to find out my formerly normal childhood friend now has powers of her own, I was obviously curious. Tatsuki, Chad and Inoue told me about what they had been up too and about you guys, I heard that you needed my help with something and so here I am."

The Xcution leader looked momentarily taken back by his expression quickly smoothed over, he was at the disadvantage right now, clearly, Ichigo had been brought up to speed on everything. "We do, I'm assuming you've heard why?" he received a nod in return, "I see, that saves time then, so will you help us?"

"Yeah, that's why I'm here. Unfortunately, it's going to have to wait a couple days at least, I have some business to take care of that can't be put off any longer." Ichigo could tell that Ginjo didn't like that response but there was nothing he could do about it, Ichigo held all the cards and the man knew it.

"Take as long as you need, you're helping us out immensely by doing this, so just come back whenever you're ready."

And that was that, with a quick goodbye Ichigo's two task's were complete. The first was to introduce himself and lay some bait, the second was to get Yoruichi inside so she could do some recon. The dark atmosphere inside made everything a lot easier, as a black cat she could easily hide herself up in the shadows of the ceiling, all he now needed to do was wait for her report, and until then he had a family to see.

* * *

~ Kurosaki Clinic

Even though Ryujin had said he wouldn't help Ichigo suppress his power anymore until the issue with the Fullbringers was dealt with a small exception was made as he didn't want his father to sense his presence just yet. Ichigo had left the Xcution headquarters well over a half an hour ago and had been stood outside of his home ever since, unable to take the first step. The living room lights were on in the house and Ichigo could feel Yuzu and Karin's reiatsu there, his fathers had joined them just recently after closing the clinic for the night.

It was getting late and if he waited any longer they would go to bed with him never having said hello, with a mental push from his Zanpakuto he stepped off the roof opposite to his home, landing softly on the front doorstep. Shakily his had lifted to the door, he figured now wouldn't be the best time to use the Shinigami's ability to walk through walls, instead, it would be best to knock.

With three strong raps all the noise in the house immediately died down, it was to be expected, no one usually came around this late at night so they were probably suspicious. Ichigo could hear the muffled but still distinct heavy steps of his father as he approached the door, he hadn't even seen the man face to face yet and tears were already forming in the corners of his eyes.

When the door finally swung open Isshin didn't even attempt to offer a normal greeting as he recognizing the black Shihakusho immediately, upon seeing exactly who it was at his door he stumbled backward, wide-eyed, gaping in shock. His jaw was clenched in an attempt to keep his emotions in check as he stared disbelievingly in front of himself.

"Ichigo..?" it was no more than a whisper, a silent plea to any god which happened to be listening to please let this be real. When he first lost his wife it was hard, so hard, she was the merciful sun that allowed him to orbit around her. He was able to keep moving forward however because of his three beautiful children, his son who when young was a crybaby and complete momma's boy grew up so fast, matured to a level beyond his years, becoming the best big brother his sisters could ever ask for.

His two daughters, Yuzu and Karin, the first who was a carbon copy of her mother, a bright smile that could light a room, a big heart that cared for everyone and the second, more of a tomboy who took after Isshin in appearance but modelled her personality after her brother who she respected and loved far more then she would want to admit. Both of his daughters modelled themselves after Ichigo in some way or another, he was such a strong young man in heart, spirit, and conviction, he had a pure sense of right and wrong and would do whatever it took to protect someone who needed it even if it meant losing his life.

He was a true hero and protector and in Isshin's opinion, the world was blessed to have someone like him fighting for their sake. When he got the news that his son had fallen in Takama-ga-hara his world shattered, it was like Masaki all over again. The hardest part of it all was helping his two daughters through it all, they had finally each started moving on to the path of accepting his death, and now here he was.

It didn't even register in his mind when it happened but he had closed the distance and enveloped Ichigo in a bone-crushing hug, fearful that his son might once more leave him, this time permanently.

"Oi, Goat-face what's taking you so long?" the rougher mannered of the two twins called out, wondering what was taking so long at the door. She, much like her brother had adopted the nickname Goat-face for Isshin. When the daughter received no reply she rose from the couch and started heading towards the front door area, Yuzu not far behind. The sound of the sister's voice had already broken the father and son out of their stupor but now with the soft padding of footsteps heading their way they broke apart, Isshin stepping to the side.

When the two girls rounded the corner the reaction was immediate, the didn't need to rub their eyes and reaffirm that what they were seeing was actually real, they didn't know how or why he was stood there but without a doubt, they knew this was their brother.

"Onii-chan!/Ichi-nii!" both of their cries were slightly muffled by the cloth of Ichigo's Shihakusho, they hadn't even finished calling out his name before they launched themselves into his arms, tears streaming down their cheeks, bodies lightly shaking as they sobbed.

Ichigo could only mumble out apologies to the both of them as they hugged, his hands rubbing soothing circles on their backs. It would take a lot to make it up to the both of them, his father too, but he didn't care, he would do anything for their forgiveness.

* * *

~ Two days later

It was a quiet morning at the Kurosaki residence, Both Yuzu and Karin had already left for school and Isshin was already up and working in the clinic, that left Ichigo with some free time which he used to relax on his bed and stare out the window. His Shihakusho was folded neatly on his desk and Ryujin's sealed form rested on top of that, currently, he was just wearing some light grey sweatpants and a white t-shirt, it was nice to be back in modern clothing again after wearing traditional Japanese for so long.

As irresponsible as it was school had completely slipped his mind, he still wanted to graduate and thus would need to figure something out soon as he was already behind in work and the distance was growing further with each day. But, it wasn't as if he could simply re-enroll in Karakura High, it would most likely have to wait until he crossed the parallel where no one knew him, then he could 'transfer' into a school there and start working to get caught up in his studies.

Letting out a deep sigh he shifted slightly in his bed, he was so bored, he had arrived back here on Saturday and thus he had spent all day yesterday – Sunday – with his sisters but now with everyone back at work and school he had no one to talk to. He thought about heading to Urahara's but the man was most likely busy with some form of research or experiment and Yoruichi was still out gathering information on the Fullbringers.

Or so he thought. Just as that sentence ran through his mind a small black object flashed through his open window, revealing the small black form of Yoruichi now sat on the corner of his bed, tail flicking slowly back and forth. "Yoruichi-san, what are you doing here? It's only been two days."

"Hmph, two days was all I needed," she replied lazily, "They gave themselves away the same night you visited," she continued, earning a curious look from the man opposite her, "As soon as the training session ended and Sado, Tatsuki, and Inoue went home that Ginjo let his true-self show, he's got more than a few screws loose."

"I kind of got that feeling when I met him, so what did you learn?"

"Well.."

 _\- Flashback start,_

 _Chad, Tatsuki, and Inoue hadn't even been out of the building for thirty seconds when Ginjo broke out in a wild, malicious laughter. He just couldn't believe his luck, "I swear you can't make this stuff up," he spoke out, laughter finally calming down enough to think normally._

 _No one in the room replied to him, he got a little crazy when he was like this and no one knew better then the fullbringers how unstable the man's mind was, the only reason they followed him so loyally was that he'd probably try and kill them if they ever wanted to leave._

 _A shuffling sound towards the back and the opening of a door alerted the five to the arrival of the two other 'rebel' Fullbringers, or at least that was what they told Ichigo's friends. In truth, it was all an act to deceive them. While Riruka, Yukio and Jakie – who were honestly the most normal and sane out of them all – were happy with Tsukshima's arrival because it would draw Ginjo's attention away from them, it was also a double edge sword in the sense that most the time they weren't sure who was nuttier between the two._

 _Both men were horribly evil and cared for nothing that didn't directly involve and further their goals._

 _"I could hear you laughing from all the way in the back Ginjo, something good must have happened."_

 _"Ah, you'll never guess who just showed up, and he agreed to help us with the issue of our powers as well." the grin on the mans face was sickening as he said those words, the unknown pair of eyes that were watching from the rafters now understood a little why Ichigo was so suspicious._

 _"I'm afraid I don't know, you'll have to just tell me."_

 _"Ichigo Kurosaki."_

 _Tsukishima rose a brow at that, he wasn't sure how a supposedly dead man had appeared in their main base but he wouldn't doubt Ginjo's judgment, if he said it was the Kurosaki boy then it must have been. "Well ignoring that he should be dead he is a lot weaker now then he used to be, are you sure it will still be enough? Still, though that's very nice of him to donate his reiatsu to us."_

 _"It doesn't matter, well just kill his three friends and take their powers along with his, it will work out in the end."_

 _"Should we start planning then?"_

 _Ginjo shook his head lightly, "There's no need, Kurosaki can't defeat me and even if they give us more trouble then we originally thought they would your Fullbring will seal the deal. He said he'd be back soon, when he returns with his three friends we slaughter them all and take their powers."_

 _\- Flashback end._

Ichigo let out a hum of though when Yoruichi's retelling of events ended, ' _So it seems I was more or less right then, I didn't think they would go after Chad, Inoue or Tatsuki but they think my power is a lot less then it used to be so it makes sense._ '

"So, what will you do Ichigo?"

"Nothing, for now, I promised to spend all of my available time with Yuzu and Karin this week, I'll go with them for one of their next training sessions and deal with it then."

Yoruichi's eyes bugged out at those words, had he not just heard what she said? "How can you be so nonchalant about this?!"

"You heard them, they aren't going to do anything until all four of us are present, they wouldn't risk attacking them without me there given that I could easily lead allies to their location and they'd stand no chance of winning. I'm the most valuable asset out of us four, until I go there nothing will happen."

The black cat begrudgingly accepted his words, as crazy as it may have sounded to her, Ichigo was right. Though it was quite the shock still, if this was the old Ichigo he would have run in half-cocked without a plan and probably caused more harm then good, but now he was completely calm even in this sort of situation, was he really so powerful that he didn't even need to fear the Fullbringers at all? She supposed she would find out sooner than later.

* * *

~ A/N:

 **It's a sad day, I just found out that two of my favourite crossovers have been deleted. If any of you guys know them then you're legends. The first was a cross between 'Bleach' and 'Is this a Zombie?' it was called 'Is this a Soul Reaper?' I loved it so much, it hadn't been updated in a really long time but it was still super fun to re-read.**

 **The second was a cross between 'Bleach' and 'Rosario Vampire', unfortunately, I don't remember the title of this one but the plot was basically when Tskune rejected inner Moka and tried to get a new Rosario from her father so he could seal inner Moka away and get the pink haired version back, inner Moka in her heartbroken state left the monster school and transferred to Karakura High with Kokoa and basically both of them fall in love with Ichigo and Ichigo falls in love with the both of them too and it was just really good. I'm so sad both stories are gone but I respect the authors choice to remove them.**

 **If you guys were curious about my current projects then keep reading. I just released a short three-part story of basically my version of how Bleach should have ended so if you want to read that then cool, if not no hard feelings. Also along with this story I am working on two other large projects, one a pure Bleach story and the other another Bleach/DXD cross, they are still both in the early stages of planning and I might not even green light them for writing so don't get your hopes up for them if you were. Other then that I am still continuing this story obviously, we should finally be getting into the DXD side of things next chapter.**

 **If you have any thoughts on the chapter than feel free to leave a review, I'm always looking to improve my writing and so constructive feedback is appreciated. If you have any questions then feel free to message me, I always reply when I can.**

 **\- Vertius**


	8. Chapter 8

**Hey everyone, I'm finally back with the next chapter, sorry it took so long! I just haven't been writing too much since it's been summer. I don't know about you guys, but sitting in front of a computer sweating my ass off isn't really good for productivity. Thankfully, summer is coming to an end and so I should be able to write more frequently. Anyways, here's a really long chapter to make up for the delay.**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own Bleach, Highschool DXD, nor any of their respective characters.**

* * *

Guardian of the Dead

\- Chapter 8 -

A light sound of vibration to his side pulled him from his meditation. With his sisters and friends at school for most of the day he was left with quite a bit of free time, time which he used to meditate and further hone his skills with Ryujin Jakka since he couldn't freely walk around town as he pleased.

Yes, Urahara had placed special barriers around some of the locations that Ichigo frequented quite regularly which could hide any and all information the man wished from the twelfth division, but that only worked for their monitoring equipment. If Urahara blocked Shinigami from physically entering a specific barrier then that would only raise suspicions against him. So he couldn't really do much about the Shinigami who patrolled this town, if they spotted Ichigo it would be game over.

Breathing out lightly he reached over and plucked the annoying device off of his desk. Upon glancing at the caller his relaxed posture switched to that of seriousness, seeing the small chibi version of Urahara dancing on his screen told him that preparations were done, it was time.

[Kurosaki-san, everything is ready.]

"You're sure Soul Society won't find out if things turn sour?" the young Shinigami didn't like doubting his friend but this couldn't be messed up, there was no 'what if?' in this situation. There would be a fight between Ichigo and the Fullbringers and everyone knew it, Ginjo wasn't one to be reasoned with, his one-track mindset of getting power and destroying the Shinigami had corrupted his mind.

[I am. It wasn't easy but I've devised a temporary barrier that will essentially cut of the Fullbringers hideout from the rest of the world. So unless you do something as drastic as release Bankai the Soul Society will not find out, just make sure whatever it is you're going to do, you do it quick. If the barrier stays up too long Soul Society will pick up on it and questions will be asked that I cannot answer.]

Before the teen could reply he heard a light scoff from the depth's of his soul, obviously, the oldest and most powerful Zanpakuto didn't agree with the shopkeeper's words. " _How foolish, even still people undermine your strength. The barrier won't last should you release Bankai? Has he not considered the possibility that your Shikai alone could match and topple most of the Bankai from this new, weak generation of Shinigami Captains?_ "

Realizing that Urahara was still waiting on the opposite end of the line he turned his attention away from his inner sanctum and irritated partner. "Don't worry Hat n' Clogs, the fight will be over before it begins," and as scary as it was those words weren't an exaggeration. Ichigo could most likely incapacitate each of the Fullbringers with just the force of his reiatsu alone that's how outclassed they were. If they couldn't pull their heads from their asses and decide to resolve this peacefully, then it would be a slaughter.

* * *

Ichigo's eyes were dark as he jumped from rooftop to rooftop, headed towards the spot in which he would be meeting Chad, Tatsuki, and Inoue. He had already re-dressed himself in his Shihakusho, Ryujin was secured at his waist, and he was wearing a special cloak made by Urahara which would keep him hidden until he reached the barrier.

His mind was on the conversation he had just spoken with Urahara, as well as the last words he had spoken to Yoruichi when she came to report her findings to him, ' _how can you be so nonchalant about this?_ ' those were the words she had said. At the time he hadn't thought much about them, but now after talking to Urahara a realization had donned on him. When had he changed so much?

Asides from Kariya, Ichigo had never actually killed anyone. He purified Hollow's, setting their souls free from the endless eternity of torment they were stuck in, and it was Zangetsu who brought Ulquiorra to the state just before death, not Ichigo. So when had he become able to so easily talk about crushing- _killing_ his opponents like that?

It was frightening.

" _It isn't a bad thing to fear change Ichigo, fear is what keeps you alive and grounded, but it is crucial that you not let that same fear consume you because that fear which helps you now can very easily hold you back if given the chance. You must remember why it was you wanted to change in the first place, then control the fear which is born from that change and use it to your benefit, this is the only way you will succeed._ "

As the orange haired teen mulled over those words the darkness slowly receded from his eyes and his heart became light once more. He could remember one instance not too long after he'd originally met old man Zangetsu, he had been in one of his depressed funks and the old man had told him exactly what he needed to hear to get it out of him. But, when Ichigo thanked the man he replied, ' _There is no need to thank me, I was just saying what you already knew to be true,_ ' and as a manifestation of himself Ichigo couldn't really deny the truth in that.

However like then, and now with Ryujin too, sometimes what a person needs the most is not to be led around on some wild goose chase of self-discovery, to find one's purpose or the meaning for their existence. No, sometimes all a person needs is to just be given the answer, no matter how simple the puzzle.

It was because of this that Zangetsu, and now Ryujin meant so much to him. To have someone always with you who can say such simple words with such large effect, words that you yourself already knew but may have been clouded from your view by worthless fear, it calmed his mind and soul and made moving forward so much easier.

It didn't take long for Ichigo to meet up with his three Fullbringer friends, clearly, the cloak given to him by Urahara was doing its job as his arrival gave them no small amount of surprise. It was a weird bit of technology, by adding a touch of Kido into the cloak it perfectly masks the users reiatsu allowing them to seamlessly blend into the surrounding air rendering them practically invisible to those which the user didn't wish to see them.

Ichigo would admit that it was a little awkward on the way there, his friends clearly wished to know what he planned on doing to handle the situation but couldn't really find a comfortable way of breaching the subject. It was sad to see but understandable that they no longer found him as approachable as before.

He'd always had above average amounts of reiatsu and it continued to grow as he fought more and more battles, yet it was always so unrefined, so untrained that even though it was so large it never really felt all that intimidating to people who had experience fighting in the supernatural like they did.

Now it was different. He not only had a fair amount of control over his reiatsu and could exert it in some creative ways, but he had gone through many long hours of reiatsu strengthening exercises, exercises which made his reiatsu a lot more dense, a lot heavier, and just much more frightening to be in the presence of. More so, now his reiatsu now had the attributes of fire which made it all the more lethal, he could set his surrounding on fire by merely exerting his power.

He was no longer that untrained kid who just grabbed some reiatsu and threw it around in Getsuga Tenshou's, now he used it as it was intended. Firstly by augmenting his body and blade to fight with speeds and with a strength that most couldn't match. And secondly, to strengthen his flames which had a whole plethora of uses on their own.

"Y'know Ichigo," Tatsuki finally said breaking the silence around them, "I've heard the stories, I hope your plan isn't just to 'go in there and kick some ass' as it usually would be," this was said in a lighthearted manner of course, but there was also a hint of skepticism in her voice. Yes, he had changed a lot, but it was hard to believe Ichigo could come up with a plan other than swing his sword until all the enemies were defeated.

Said Shinigami couldn't stop the huff of laughter which escaped him at those words, memories of his initial strategy lessons with Ryujin returning to his mind. The Zanpakuto due to their now shared bond was allowed access to some of Ichigo's memories and well after witnessing the orange haired teen's strategy – or lack thereof – when fighting his battles Ryujin had understandably lost his cool and paused all other training until he deemed Ichigo was at an acceptable level of intelligence when it came to stratagem and planning.

"Don't worry, I'm not just going to jump in there and start swinging if that's what you're worried about, believe it or not, I do have an idea of how things will play out and a plan to go with it. If they become suspicious of you three then it will turn dangerous so just go in there like normal and let me take care of things," and that was it, despite not being as comfortable around him anymore they still trusted him as much as ever. He said to let him handle it and so that's what they'd do.

Glancing to the side he noted that the softhearted healer still had the troubled look on her face, the same one which had been there since their initial conversation back at the Urahara shop. "What's wrong Inoue?" he asked bluntly.

"Kurosaki-kun," she replied lightly, brow scrunching up in thought. A part of her wanted to play off his question as not to bother him with her worries, even though she knew Ichigo would never let that slide. On the other hand, however, if she did ask the question that was plaguing her she wasn't sure if he'd even be able to answer it, but she knew this would eat away at her if she didn't get some closure now.

"Kurosaki-kun.. how strong is Aizen?" she finally asked, voice unsure.

It only took a brief moment for her questions true meaning to sink in, though he wasn't sure how to answer it as he really wasn't supposed to give much away to his human friends. In all honesty, he wasn't supposed to say _anything_ , only after a slightly heated discussion between himself and the Trinity in which he made blatantly clear he wasn't going to lie to anyone, especially not his friends and family they came to an agreement, half-truths would have to suffice.

And so he gave the best answer he could, "..he isn't the strongest."

This only made the healers face fall further, "Then why didn't they deal with him?" even though unspoken the rest of her thoughts were heard just as loudly, if not more. ' _Why did we have to get dragged into this world, what was the point of risking our lives when in the end it wasn't even needed?_ '

A few silent seconds passed in which Ichigo gazed off into nothingness, a mirthless half-smile marring his face, "I've asked myself that question many time's Inoue. Why did we have to go through so much, give so much to defeat an enemy which in the long run had no chance of succeeding in the first place?"

With an expression of melancholy, he continued, "The answer is because of _me_."

Now that certainly wasn't what the trio was expecting to hear from Ichigo, and immediately they made to vehemently deny those claims, but any words they may have had instantly died in their throats when they met his guilt filled eyes.

Ichigo knew they'd want to deny it, but he wouldn't let them, because it wasn't just him being mopey and depressed, blaming himself like he used to, this time it was the truth. It _was_ his fault that they got dragged into all of this. "Ever since my birth, maybe even before that I have been watched by the supernatural, scouted by beings who knew of my heritage and potential, for me it was never a question of if, but when I'd get drawn in.

You guys were never meant to set foot on the spiritual battlefield, even after your deaths you'd be normal souls, however, due to your close proximity with me, your powers grew and with it, you were dragged in head first along with me. You may not see it as a big deal, but I'll never forgive myself for taking away the peaceful lives you guys could have- should have had."

What could they say to that? Those were his deepest most heartfelt feelings, it would be disrespectful and disgraceful to try and deny them, especially because he was right. It _was_ because of him that they got dragged in, however, it was also true when he said they might not have seen it as a big deal because they didn't. They were happy to have been able to fight alongside him throughout all of these hardships, but still, what could they say? There was nothing.

When they had crossed through the barrier which surrounded the Fullbringers hideout, as well as the surrounding couple blocks of abandoned buildings the effect had been immediate. Urahara, Yoruichi, Tessai, Ishida, his father and sisters, they had all vanished from his senses, there was nothing past the shimmering wall behind him, it really was like they were in a different world.

But that rose the question, wouldn't the Fullbringers notice the change as well?

He was the last of the four to enter the elaborately disguised base and as soon as he did his question was answered. The tension in the room was so thick you could cut it with a knife, they were each trying to act normally but you could see it in their rigid posture, the way their eyes flitted briefly between the four of them and the various walls of the room which had become very interesting all of a sudden.

The only one acting normal – well as normal as possible for him – was Ginjo, it was a little offsetting to Ichigo how relaxed the man was. Was he really so confident in his fighting prowess? Or perhaps there was something else going on, oddly enough Ichigo couldn't sense that Tsukishima which Yoruichi mentioned. The first time he came here he had felt the mans presence in the back room, but he didn't know who it was, now that presence was nowhere to be felt.

' _Odd.._ ' according to Yoruichi's report Ginjo had quite the quite the high amount of faith in that mans abilities, so it struck Ichigo as peculiar that he wouldn't be present for this meeting, or at least somewhere in the close vicinity.

" _Remain vigilant Ichigo, something is off about this situation._ "

The teen wholeheartedly agreed.

"Yo, welcome back Chad, Tatsuki, Inoue, Kurosaki." Ginjo greeted with a neutral tone, offering a slight gesture of hello with a wave of his hand.

Chad and Tatsuki returned it with accompanying grunts, Inoue chirped out her own little greeting though it was a little more rigid then usual, Ginjo didn't seem to think anything of it, and if he did he didn't show it.

Ichigo tipped his head forward in response, a casual look on his face, "My business took a little longer then I thought it would, it's done now though so I should be able to help with your problem."

The Fullbring leader shook his head in a dismissive manner, "It's no big deal, you're here now and that's all that matters."

"So why don't you tell me a little bit more about what it is you actually need from me?" the Shinigami asked with a quirked brow. He was actually interested to see what the man would say, yes he had been given some information before coming here but he wasn't told everything.

Ginjo nodded his head in agreement, quickly finishing the drink he had been nursing before the group's arrival then stood to face the teen. "It's simple Kurosaki, as you've probably heard, each of us," he further emphasized his point by gesturing around the room at the various Fullbringers with a wave of his arm, "each of us have had a parent that was attacked by a Hollow and tainted with it's reiatsu before our births, and when we were born it transferred to us giving us the various powers we have today, we want to get rid of those powers and become regular humans."

The Shinigami hummed in thought, "So where do I come into all of this? What do I have to do?"

Glancing up in a sort of reminiscent manner he began to answer the Shinigami's question. "I was the one to actually bring this group together you see, I found others like me who were outcasts from society because of the abilities they possessed but had no control over, and, I offered them a place to live in peace with others like themselves.

I don't remember when exactly it happened but I was given the unofficial title of leader, it didn't bother me really so I accepted it and time moved on. Things were going well for a while but then we were betrayed by two of our own, they had decided that they no longer wished to lose their powers and so they killed the first Shinigami that we had found who had agreed to help us and ran away.

In order to make sure something like this wouldn't happen again we made a pact, and to set this pact into stone and make sure no one would betray us again each of the remaining members gave me a bit of their power, linking themselves to me.

Through this link, I can take their powers away and accept them all into myself. The problem with taking their powers is that I'm left unstable and would eventually die, so that's where you come in."

The teen nodded his head in understanding, however, there was still something he didn't get, "But why me? What's so special about me or the first Shinigami that attempted to help you, that's what I still don't understand."

Ginjo laughed at this and waved his hand dismissively, "It's nothing overly complicated, just simply that official Shinigami would be more likely to kill us or throw us in a lab then actually help us. Substitute Shinigami aren't fully affiliated with the Seireitei and can actually think and act for themselves, there's a better chance that you'd help us than a real Shinigami."

Ichigo couldn't deny that statement. He wouldn't give it long before Kurotsuchi had each of them strapped to a table in his lab that's just how the elder council of the soul society was. If there was even a slight chance that they could advance themselves and make their organization stronger than they said fuck morals.

"So you take their powers then what? How do you give them to me?"

His expression shifted, becoming downcast and remorseful for what he was about to say, "I have to stab you," this statement earned a sharp gasp from Inoue as well as wide eyes from Tatsuki, Chad, and Ichigo himself, "By thrusting my sword through the core of your being I will temporarily link our souls, enabling the power transfer to occur."

Ichigo smirked internally, enemy or not he would give credit where credit was due, the man was a damn good actor and he knew what he was talking about. If this had been the previous Ichigo he would have taken those words at face value and accepted it without a second thought, but he was no longer so naive only seeing the world in black and white.

Now he could see all of the shades of grey which lay in between. He could see the dark malice which swirled in Ginjo's eyes even while he outwardly seemed like a nice guy who just wanted to become human once more. Eyes sparkling with mischief he finally spoke, "You forgot to mention one thing."

Ginjo's brow rose in question, waiting for the Shinigami to elaborate.

"That transfer you speak of where you give me your power, it can go both ways."

The Fullbring leader actually looked taken back for a moment, and then the facade shattered. A twisted shit-eating grin spread onto his face and a deep rumble reverberated from his chest, "Hah! You're a clever bastard, aren't ya? Oh well, it's already too late."

Ichigo didn't even get time to consider what those words had meant, out of the corner of his eye he saw Yukio do something on the game console right before an easily recognizable beeping – much like that you'd hear in a classic game – rang out behind him. Inoue's gasp was the only warning he got before a sword was plunged into his heart.

He had felt it, there was no question a blade had just pierced through his heart, yet even as his hand brushed over his chest there was no blood, no tear in his clothing, no wound on his body. "What the hell was that?" he mumbled to himself, slightly stunned. This was different from when he first fought Kenpachi and the man's murderous intent felt like a sword cutting through him, that still didn't feel anywhere close to as real as it did just now.

Inoue, Chad, and Tatsuki looked halfway stuck between shocked at what had just occurred and ready to see some heads roll. However seeing that Ichigo didn't have a wound – at least not one that was visible – as well as the man who just appeared behind him, forced them to stay their hand, first they needed to know what was going on.

The soft tapping of shoes on the tiled floor to his left caught his attention, but who the footsteps belonged to surprised him the most. With a practised poise and elegance, Tsukishima glided past Ichigo no more than a foot separating their shoulders. He only caught the briefest glimpse of the man's face when he passed but Ichigo knew what he saw, his mouth was twisted upwards in an arrogant smile that seemed to be mocking him.

A slight flash of white drew his attention downwards, in Tsukishima's hand was a simple white bookmark, it was confusing as to why he held it for Ichigo could see no book in the man's possession. Just as he was about to dismiss it and look away a small spark of green light told him that maybe not all was as it seemed.

Remembering back to his lessons with Ryujin he slowly and discretely as not to alert the others stretched out a tendril of his own reiatsu and connected it with the bookmark, within seconds all of the answers were revealed.

There right before his eyes a ghostly image of a Katana formed, the tsuba took the same form as the bookmark in his hand it even had the same tassel hanging off the top of the guard. The hilt was a mix of purple and white, it too matching the theme of the bookmark with another red tassel attached to the hilt. Most surprising was the thin layer of blood which coated the tip of the blade, it didn't take very long for Ichigo to connect the dots.

' _He was the one that attacked me just now! It was his blade that I felt go through me, but why? Shukuro has always been such an important person to me, always there for me since mom's death, so why would he do that?_ '

It was like he had been slapped across the face, fear and panic set into Ichigo heart as the realization of what he'd just said donned on him, why did he think so fondly of that man just now. With eyes narrowed and voice set in a low growl he spat out, " _What the hell did you just do to me, bastard?_ "

The three friends which had accompanied him here immediately startled and turned their head towards Ichigo with wide eyes, never having heard such a venomous tone from their friend. what the hell had just happened to piss him off so thoroughly.

All attention shifted towards the laughing Ginjo, leader of the Fullbringer group, no longer putting any effort into hiding his true nature. The insanity and depravity which had long since consumed him now filled his expression for all to see. "Don't worry Kurosaki, we're just assuring our victory."

The teen's eyes only narrowed further at this, "What do you mean?"

The head of the Fullbringers sighed out deeply, shaking his head lightly in disappointment, "I don't know how dumb you think we are Kurosaki, but we all felt that barrier that was put up around this place, conveniently just before you were about to arrive.

I don't know how you found us out or what your planning but right now the four of you are too weak to do anything against us. So, before your backup arrives I'm going to kill each of you and take your power, then it won't matter who comes after. As for what we did to you? Well, I'm sure you can feel its effects already."

Turning his sight inwards Ichigo focused on his memories and very quickly made a disturbing discovery, Tsukishima had with that strike somehow inserted himself into all of Ichigo's most fond memories, and even though right now he was aware of the truth, slowly that line between falsehood and reality was blurring, and his mind was subconsciously putting that smug prick on a higher and higher pedestal.

Against his better judgment, he was slowly letting his mind fall into a panic as this man erased his mother, father, sisters, and friends from his life, instead, putting himself there and there was nothing he could do to stop it. He could only wince as a flash of pain ripped throughout his head as he tried to separate the truth from the fake.

Ryujin Jakka who clearly had seen enough of his wielder's foolishness spoke up, " _What are you doing Ichigo?! Clearly whatever that mans ability is it inserts himself into your memories making you unable to fight him, that is their goal, to make sure your blade stays sheathed so hurry up and attack him before it's too late!_ "

Ichigo didn't even think, as soon as his Zanpakuto finished speaking his hand fell to Ryujin's hilt and he prepared to attack, though what actually happened when his sword was drawn was not anything like what he had intended. He'd meant only to release a small burst of fire from Ryujin's blade to force Tsukishima to retreat, giving him enough space to better plan out his next course of action and the most efficient way of taking them out quickly, instead, something much more horrifying occurred.

The Fullbringer's weren't given much of a warning, a slight shift in the air as his body twisted, the sound of metal scraping against metal as the blade left its sheath, a slight rise in the temperature as a fire began to spark around the gleaming blade which cut silently through the air.

Tsukishima had just turned around as the Shinigami's swing was finished, his face no longer looking so smug, instead, the lightest hints of fear could be seen in his eyes steadily growing larger, but it was too late. Between one second and the next, a brilliant fire of yellow, red and orange exploded out of the tip of the Katana which extended towards him, launching a tsunami of flame which gave no chance of escape.

No sound could be heard over the deafening roar of the fire which threatened to consume everything, Tsukishima wasn't even given a chance to scream before the wall of fire consumed him. His hair, skin, blood and very bones, none of it could resist the all-encompassing inferno which surrounded him.

When the flames finally gave way and sight was returned once more, the hellish reality of the situation was presented.

Tsukishima was gone, nothing remained, but that wasn't where the carnage ended, the back wall of their hideout, as well as the next couple warehouse buildings behind it, were gone, only smouldering ashes and remnants of walls remained as proof that something actually existed there in the first place. What truly horrified those still standing was the fact that Tsukishima wasn't the only victim, Jackie and Giriko who had unfortunately been in the wrong place at the wrong time both found themselves reduced to nothing but ashes, and Ginjo was now unconscious on the floor, the left side of his body horrifically burned and the whole of his left arm completely destroyed.

After what seemed like an eternity the silence was shattered by the loud clang of Ichigo's Zanpakuto hitting the ground, it having just slipped from his hand. The teen in question had fallen backward and was now propped up on his hands looking outwards with empty eyes. He was deathly pale and was profusely sweating. He didn't even notice when the door burst open behind him and in walked his father and two mentors.

Isshin quickly went to Ichigo's side and gently lifted him up, after securely resting him on his shoulder for support he led the unresponsive teen outside.

Urahara and Yoruichi surveyed the room briefly, taking in everything before acting, Yoruichi went straight to Inoue and consoled the terrified girl, they would need her to heal Ginjo when she was able. Yes, they had wanted to stop the Fullbringers, but not like _this_ , and they knew that Ichigo certainly didn't wish this either.

Urahara cast a shadowed and unimpressed glance back at the Zanpakuto which now lay still in the middle of the floor, he knew what had happened and why Ryujin Jakka did it, but he didn't think it was right, there were other ways to test Ichigo, other ways to further prepare him for the life he was stepping into, this was too much.

* * *

He felt nauseous, his mind was sluggish and there was a cold sweat breaking out all over his body.

He felt lost, he didn't know what to say or do, what could he really? He'd just killed three people in a brutal fashion and severely injured a fourth when his original goal was to simply incapacitate them and see if they could work out something peacefully. Yet now he had three lives on his hands.

He could feel himself being lifted upwards and he recognized the reiatsu that was next to him, however, his mind was much too out of it to actually put a face to the signature. Wherever he had been taken the air was fresh, not filled with smoke and ash, it soothed him a little, however, it was a double-edged sword.

With his mind a little clearer he, unfortunately, remembered the scene he'd just witnessed – _caused_ – and he could no longer suppress the feeling of sickness within himself, falling to his hands and knees once more he began heaving, emptying out everything he had eaten that day.

"Easy there Ichigo," a soothing voice which he now recognized as his fathers spoke from behind him, as large comforting circles were rubbed into his back, "You'll be alright, just let it all out."

Let it out he did. He wasn't sure when the tears had started, but after he was fairly certain nothing else would come up he shifted over, slumped back ungracefully against the wall and cried. He didn't wail, didn't thrash around and complain about how unfair the world was, he just sat there lazily gazing up at the sky with his father next to him and silently cried, letting out everything he had held inside of him, not just from today but the past eight years of his life.

After holding it all in for so long it seemed that his emotions would no longer stay in check, the dam had finally been broken and it would stop until everything he'd pent up inside him had been let out.

A good twenty minutes had passed with the both of them just sat there, Isshin wanted to say something but he didn't know where to start. He knew he'd been a pretty shitty father to Ichigo, yes he'd always been better with the girls but that wasn't anywhere near a good enough excuse to ignore Ichigo like he had. Sure the kid was self-sufficient and mature for his age, but even the most grown-up people need a shoulder to lean on now and then, but Ichigo never got that.

Masaki would beat his ass if she were still here.

Glancing over at Ichigo he was pleased to note that some of the colour had returned to him, he just needed a hot shower and a good nights rest and he'd feel a lot better, but before that, it was time to talk. Just as he was about to breach the silence Ichigo beat him to it.

"I feel like shit."

The man knew it was wrong in this situation but he couldn't help the huff of laughter which escaped him at those words. So simple and blunt yet the point was conveyed so greatly. He was worrying too much, he and Ichigo had never been much for heart to heart's, instead expressing themselves through more.. physical means, why did this have to be any more complicated.

"I don't doubt it, you look like shit too."

Ichigo snorted in response, casting a halfhearted glare at his father.

"So what happened, Ichigo?"

The teen stayed silent for a couple minutes, whether he was thinking about what he wanted to say or just didn't want to talk yet Isshin wasn't sure., but when Ichigo finally did speak Isshin got the answer he expected.

"I wasn't ready," he spoke honestly, "I went in there hoping to end it peacefully."

His father nodded his head in understanding, "And that's not a bad mindset to have, along your journey you will definitely meet good people who have just strayed from their path, and in those situations that mindset of yours will be very helpful in saving lives, but one thing you must always remember, no matter how trivial it sounds is that most people who do bad, do so because they are inherently evil, and they won't be willing to turn away from their paths just because one guy came along and asked them too, no matter how strong you are.

I know you have resolved yourself to this life of fighting, but with your power now that's only half of it. You're going to attract and be drawn to a lot of strong enemies, the types of enemies who won't hesitate to take your life at the first sign of weakness.

You must _never_ enter a battle that you haven't resolved yourself to kill in, because if you do and something happens which you didn't anticipate, then a situation like what happened today might occur again only next time you may not get off so lucky, remember that."

Ichigo nodded his head, he understood that now, he wouldn't let the same mistake happen twice though that didn't mean Ryujin was off the hook for that little stunt he pulled, they would be having a nice long _chat_ soon enough.

Letting out a small grunt Isshin stood and stretched his body, sure being in Shinigami form gave them much more resistance against things like muscle ache and fatigue but even still that only goes so far when you've been sat still on and against hard cement for a good amount of time.

Reaching down he grasped Ichigo's hand and hauled him up to his feet as well, briefly, their eyes met and Ichigo gave a resolved nod of his head.

* * *

As soon as he entered the room all eyes went to him, on one side was Tatsuki, Chad and Inoue, the first two looked fairly normal but the young Shinigami could see that they felt a little uncomfortable, that really told you how bad it was if even the stone giant that was Chad looked fazed. Glancing at the healer of the Karakura team he was saddened to see that she couldn't even meet his gaze head-on, her eyes were just fluttering around the outside edges of his face.

Of the three remaining Fullbringers, Yukio was sat hunched over with his game console in hand though he wasn't playing anything, he didn't look frightened of Ichigo per say but you could see that the whole ordeal had hit his mental state hard. Riruka was visibly scared of him, obvious by the way she flinched under his gaze and shrunk away at his mere presence in the room.

Ginjo was conscious once more and much to the relief of Ichigo fully healed, missing arm and all. He wasn't sure if the man was aware of it or not, however, the Fullbring leader was repeatedly clenching and unclenching his left fist, whether this was out of anger or the fact that his arm had been restored Ichigo wasn't sure, both were equally viable as the man was currently glaring venomously at him. Though it looked like whatever the case Ginjo had no intentions of starting anything again so he would leave it be.

Finally, looking towards his two mentors he was happy to see they looked normal, of course there were hints of worry directed at him but they didn't seem particularly bothered by anything that had happened here, obviously due to their vast amounts of experience when it came to dealing with things like this, come to think of it his father had been completely uncaring as well.

He wasn't sure if he wanted to ever become like that, to become indifferent to death and destruction. Then again he supposed he had no choice in the matter, anyone will become numb to something if exposed to it enough times.

"How are you feeling Ichigo," the dark-skinned woman asked.

"Better now, I just needed to clear my head a bit."

Both of his mentors nodded at this, "I'm glad to hear it Kurosaki-san." Urahara responded, reaching under the cloth of his Haori he pulled out the sheathed Ryujin Jakka and gave a crooked smile, "I think you dropped this."

Ichigo didn't hesitate in reaching for his Zanpakuto again, he did feel bad about just dropping his blade and leaving it there but the situation was a little unique so he wouldn't let it bother him too much. He hadn't actually heard a peep out of his Zanpakuto since Ryujin's small outburst after he had been stabbed by Tsukishima, although if he reached inwards and grasped their connection he didn't feel any particularly strong emotions from the spirit. Ryujin didn't seem troubled at all so Ichigo supposed that the spirit would just wait for Ichigo to return to their inner world and then they could set things straight.

"Not that I'm unappreciative, but why are you guys here?"

"Call it a mentor's intuition, Kurosaki-san." the shopkeeper stated cheerily.

Yoruichi snorted beside him, expression flat and unimpressed, "More like a Woman's intuition and a mad scientists curiosity, you just wanted to get some on-site readings from the barrier, I was the one that called Isshin."

With a soft snap, Urahara's famous fan was out and waving lightly in front of his face, hiding his bashful expression.

Ichigo just deadpanned at the man, that was so like him.

Seeing Ginjo shift awkwardly to the side he set his mind back to the task at hand. He didn't really want to be here any longer, this oppressive atmosphere was a bit too heavy and simply kept reminding him of what had just transpired, unfortunately for Ichigo, however, there was one person he needed to speak with again before leaving. Silently he walked over to Ginjo, the man's eyes briefly stopped on the Zanpakuto which was now resting on his hip once again before meeting his eyes and challenging his stare.

"So, you going to turn me into your Shinigami buddies?" the man all but spat out.

"No," the teen replied simply, earning a look of disbelief from the man across from him. "As you know I'm not an official Shinigami or whatever, I only came here cause I knew you guys were up to something."

"How?" he asked almost instantly, he knew that he'd covered all of his tracks and that the other Fullbringers would never give the plan away to anyone, so that rose the question, how did this Shinigami know what was going on from the start.

Ichigo didn't reply right away, obviously, he couldn't just say ' _oh, you know, the Goddess of the Sun told me, no big deal right?_ ' yeah no. So instead he just settled for, "I have sources, let's just leave it at that." As expected Ginjo didn't like that answer though Ichigo couldn't really care less.

Sighing and rubbing his eyes tiredly he continued, "Look, I'm not going to 'finish what I started' if that's what you're worried about, and while I won't apologize for what happened here today I do want us to come to a peaceful end here." that seemed to piss Ginjo off a little bit, but when he made no move to speak Ichigo continued instead.

"I mean you can try and get revenge or whatever but I can assure you that no matter how strong you are, those three behind me are bigger monsters than you could ever imagine, and even if you somehow managed to defeat the three of them you'd not only have the Soul Society investigating it but I'd be turning up on your doorstep again and I can assure you that if it comes to that I'll make sure there is no chance for a third meeting."

Those were harsh words from someone like Ichigo, and he didn't really enjoy making threats like that, however, he couldn't afford to mess around, not when his friends and family were living here. Yes, they had top-notch protection from not only his father but Urahara, Yoruichi and even Tessai, however, his sisters were powerless, all it would take is one sneak attack and they could lose their lives before any of the powerful fighters in Karakura were any the wiser.

Ichigo needed to make sure that there wasn't even that smallest of chances.

Ginjo didn't reply again though Ichigo could see it in his eyes that the warning had gotten through, the man while crazy could at least tell when he stood no chance.

* * *

~ Urahara Shop, Underground Training Room, One month after Ichigo's arrival

"So this is it, huh?" the shopkeeper spoke out, expression slightly downcast. The gathering was smaller then one would expect, only Urahara, Yoruichi, Tessai and Isshin were present. They had held a large farewell party a couple nights before because they knew if the gathering was too big on the day of his departure it would be much harder for him to actually go.

"Only for now, I won't let this be the last time we see each other," he responded in a light, hushed tone as nostalgia took over. After everything that he'd been through he was finally about to leave off on his own of his own volition to a world much farther from this one than he'd ever been. Honestly, now that he was here he found it hard to take the first steps so to speak.

"I'll hold you to that son, it was hard enough getting Yuzu and Karin to agree to this in the first place, I'd rather not have to be subject to those puppy-dog eyes of theirs because you let something happen to you." and those words both Isshin's and Ichigo's expressions shifted to that of exhaustion.

When Ichigo had first gotten back and made it up to them for having them believe he was dead – that was a chore in itself – he then had to tell them that he actually wasn't staying, that did _not_ go over very well and took a lot of hard work to get them both to accept it. And now that the time finally came for him to leave they should've known better than to think it would go smoothly. All of their progress evaporated into thin air within seconds and both sisters became very unwilling to let their brother leave again.

Thankfully they had worked it out and so here he was.

"Good luck over there Ichigo, use that new position of yours to do a lot of good," Yoruichi added.

"You know I will," he replied with a mischievous smirk, "You guys stay safe over here, if something happens then let me know, I'll drop everything and come help if you need it."

"We know Kurosaki-san, though you'd probably find out and come here yourself before anyone could actually tell you." It was a lighthearted joke, Ichigo always had a knack for being in the right place at the right time, always ready to help someone when they needed.

And that was that, nothing more needed to be said between the four. Ichigo gave Yoruichi and hug – more like she demanded one – and just clasped hands briefly with his father and Urahara, Ichigo didn't particularity feel like hugging them and they most likely felt the same so it all worked out well.

Once more he knelt down and 'grasped' the shadows beneath himself and pulled upwards opening the Schatten Bereich, seconds later the shadows consumed him and fell away, leaving an empty spot where he once stood.

* * *

~ Takama-ga-hara

As the shadows receded around him and the familiar floating island came into view before him he couldn't help but just smile. He'd never forgotten the beauty that these planes held, but seeing them again in person took his breath away just like they had the first time he'd arrived here.

As the sun shone down on him from above it truly felt like the warmth in its ray were surrounding him in a soft hug, welcoming him back to the Heavenly Planes, he wouldn't be at all surprised if Amaterasu had something to do with the sensation he was feeling. Speaking of the woman he was very happy to be able to see her once more, not that he wasn't happy to see Tsukuyomi, Susanoo, Ayame or any of the other great people he'd met his first time around, but with Amaterasu, there was something different.

After meeting her in person he truly understood what people meant when they said she was the mother of Japan and all its inhabitants were her children. He truly felt like he was in the presence of his mother when around her. She would never replace Masaki, the young Shinigami wouldn't even let someone try and replace his mother because he knew no one else could, but he would be lying if he said it wasn't nice to be able to feel that sort of motherly love once more.

When he had set off from the Urahara shop he could have easily just gone straight to Amaterasu's manor yet instead he found himself stood once more on the marble bridge which stretched out over the nothingness that surrounded Takama-ga-hara. He couldn't help wanting to experience the land once more by walking the fair distance to his destination. This time perhaps he would do a little more exploring, he wasn't completely free to do as he wanted yet he wasn't in a total rush to get there either.

He still needed to figure out what he was going to be doing for school, he was roughly three months behind now and that was constantly growing with each passing day. Though he didn't see the problem as too urgent, he had always been very smart and a quick learner not only for fighting but studies as well, that was how he'd always been able to stay high ranked within Karakura High despite missing so much school due to Shinigami duties.

Shaking those boring thoughts from his mind he set forward at a semi-brisk pace off the bridge and into the woods. It didn't take long for him to reach one of many villages that dotted this land and the one which sat closest to the arrival bridge, much like the first time around his appearance brought forth many stares from the people of the town, though none bad.

The Shinto Trinity weren't kidding when they said the Shiba's were held in high regard, as soon as word spread that he was not only a Shiba but the son of Isshin and the heir to the clan he became like a celebrity. Everywhere he went the children would run around him giggling and laughing, always fascinated by his hair and Zanpakuto, and the people greeted him with smiles and waves, gestures he would always return.

He couldn't look down upon their curiosity of him because much like they were fascinated with certain aspects of him, he was fascinated with certain aspects of them, namely their ears and tails. Even now he found it hard to believe that such things could exist, then again he had met Komamura who was an anthropomorphic wolf if he remembered correctly, so really he shouldn't have been so surprised.

All in all, he would guess it took him about an hour to reach his destination, which was quite a long time though it was only due to his curiosity getting the better than him on a few occasions leading him to explore the forests on his journey here. As he approached her manor he could see Ayame stood diligently at the gates waiting for him. Not wanting to keep her waiting longer than he probably already had he stepped up the pace a little bit.

"Welcome back Ichigo-sama," she greeted warmly with a smile and bow as soon as he got within a few feet of her.

"Yo Ayame, it's good to see you again," he replied, a large smile of his own.

"And you as well Ichigo-sama, I trust your trip to Karakura was fruitful?" Honestly, she already knew what had happened during his visit, both the good and the bad, Lady Amaterasu and herself had spent much time gazing through the worlds eye this past month.

A look of contemplation formed on his face as he thought back to everything which had happened, "It was.. good." he finally spoke out, "I smoothed things over with my family and friends and I learnt a little bit more about myself which I didn't know before, I don't think it can get much better than that."

The girl next to him nodded her head in understanding, she had seen his reaction to accidentally killing those three Fullbringers and it made her heart clench, she was happy to see he had been able to overcome it so quickly and move on.

"So whats on the agenda for today? Will I be meeting the Trinity?"

"No, I'm afraid not," her hair swayed softly as she shook her head in the negative, "The Trinity is currently in a very important meeting that will likely last for the rest of the day. It's unlikely that you will meet with them before tomorrow evening at the earliest."

Well, that was disappointing, but he understood, "Alright then, I'll just have to find something to keep myself entertained until they're ready, it shouldn't be too hard."

Ayame nodded her head encouragingly, "Yes, if you need anything just ask one of the manor servants or come and find me Ichigo-sama."

After those words, Ichigo thanked the girl and they bid each other farewell before both went their separate ways, Ayame to do her official duties and Ichigo to.. well he wasn't decided yet but he would find something.

* * *

" _Good, very good Ichigo. While it's a little unstable you're progressing nicely._ "

With those words said Ichigo released the breath he hadn't know he was holding and let the reishi in his fingers dissipate. Kido was tricky but it was because of this reason that Ichigo enjoyed learning it. Most things came to him really easily and while he was learning Kido at a much more accelerated pace than normal Shinigami would, it was still slower for him than other forms of combat training and thus he liked it a lot.

He was mostly sticking to defensive spells and barriers as he didn't really need more offence right now. His Zanpakuto was purely offensive, even if you tried to use Ryujin's flames for defensive purposes there was still a good chance you'd hurt the enemy in the process. More so he had his Hollow's techniques including Cero and Bala alongside the couple low-level destructive Kido spells that he'd already learned when their training first began.

So no, he really didn't need any more offensive abilities right now, though more would come eventually.

It had been two days since his re-arrival to Takama-ga-hara and the Shinto Trinity still hadn't returned, thus his first thought was to train. He was pleased to know that Amaterasu had set aside a large clearing for his personal use, he didn't think she'd appreciate him burning her forests down.

Since his control over his reiatsu in his sealed state was fairly good they decided it was time to step it up. So he now sat cross-legged in the centre of the clearing, Ryujin Jakka released and stuck into the ground in front of him, it's flames licking at the earth all around him as he meticulously worked on further honing his skills in both reiatsu control and Kido. It was best to do them together as both worked hand in hand with each other.

He would admit with a bit of childlike amazement that he looked pretty cool sat there with the fires dancing around him. It seemed other people thought so as well as he would often find spectators watching him during their breaks. This honestly didn't bother him, in fact he thought of it as a plus because the spectators were an added distraction that made the training more difficult for himself, something he nor Ryujin would ever complain about.

Speaking of Ryujin Jakka, their relationship was once more on the upturn, he did have that little chat with his Zanpakuto like he said he would, though it wasn't so much of a chat as a full-on fight. But that was what worked best. In most cases, the Zanpakuto is the Shinigami, a manifestation born from their soul, even though Ryujin was a little different their souls were still connected, and the best way to talk to your soul is through physical contact.

Ichigo had lost the fight unsurprisingly, however, Ryujin seemed to know what Ichigo was trying to do and thus held back enough to where they could be fairly evenly matched and trade a lot of strong blows because it was when their swords clashed that their truest feelings were sent through to each other. Thus, after a roughly two-hour-long fight filled with lots of anger, lots of destruction, and many memorable wounds the two had come to an understanding and their bond had begun to repair itself.

Feeling the three immense presences of the Shinto Gods arriving onto the planes he stood stretched his body before resealing Ryujin Jakka and sheathing him at his hip once more. Finally, he loosely slipped back on the top half of his Shihakusho and set off back towards the manor in which he was staying.

Though they probably wouldn't be meeting with him right away the day was still young and so he wanted to make sure he was washed up and had something to eat, that way if they did call for him later he would know he was good to go. He was feeling a little too anxious and excited to train anyways, he just couldn't stay focused. He was no more than a couple days away from going to essentially a new world, how could he not be filled with anticipation.

It wasn't until much later that he actually received some word from anyone, a servant which he hadn't met yet informed him that he'd been invited to have dinner with the Trinity, an offer he wasn't going to turn down. Instead of his Shinigami garb, he wore a montsuki – a formal black silk kimono – overtop a white under-kimono and grey hakama, and finally, on his feet, he had a pair of black zori with no tabi. As much as he disliked doing so he left Ryujin in his room on the sword stand which sat atop his dresser, Shinigami – or any swordsman for that matter – weren't really supposed to carry their swords around at all times, only for training and during times of war, though Ichigo didn't really agree with it.

When he arrived in the dining room he was greeted and ushered to the table by servants where the Trinity were already waiting for him, "Good evening, Amaterasu, Tsukuyomi, Susanoo," the young Shinigami greeted with a nod of his head. Okay, maybe it wasn't the most respectful way to act around three _Gods_ but Ichigo just couldn't do the whole deep bows and '-sama' thing, he showed his respect for people in a different way and if they didn't like that well tough luck.

Luckily for him, the Shinto Trinity wasn't bothered by his unique way of showing respect, maybe they were just naturally laid back when it came to such things much like Kyoraku and Ukitake in the Seireitei, or maybe it had something to do with him. He noticed that a lot of times he got away with things he probably shouldn't have, he never complained of course but he did notice the extra leeway he seemed to be granted in specific situations.

' _That meeting of theirs must not have gone too well._ ' Ichigo noted inwardly seeing the tired lines under each of their eyes, more so Amaterasu looked less cheerful than usual, it was honestly quite weird seeing such a displeased expression on the woman's face.

"The joys of diplomacy, Ichigo-kun," Susanoo cut in sarcastically after catching the young man's gaze, "If you ever think about joining the world of politics, don't."

"Now now, it isn't so bad, it just depends who you're dealing with."

Ichigo would be lying if he said he wasn't curious, so after Tsukuyomi said his peace he asked about that which had been plaguing him, hopefully, they wouldn't mind as it wasn't really any of his business, "Who _were_ you guys meeting with?"

The three before him took on contemplative looks weighting the options born from such a question, they probably shouldn't tell him too much, not that it was bad per say just that because he wasn't officially a member of their diplomatic party so it would be seen as a little distasteful. It was a sort of unwritten 'gentleman's rule' between faction leaders to keep things between themselves and not go spreading it around like some high school girls gossip.

 _But_ , Ichigo was going to be going head first into this worlds supernatural and he was bound to speak with other faction leaders at some point or another, so it would be wise to tell him this now if only for his benefit.

"We were meeting with the four Satan's of the Underworld, The Shinto and Devils have never quite seen eye to eye."

It didn't take long for Ichigo to think of a reason why that could be, "Because they ask for souls as payment?" Amaterasu saw the people of Japan as her children, so it was no surprise that she wouldn't like someone who was claiming their souls.

The Goddess of a Sun gave a mirthless smile, "That _was_ one of the reasons, thankfully it is a practice they no longer follow, however.." she paused briefly, expression becoming darker, "A devil is still a devil whether they want peace or war, just because they have knocked one or two bad habits doesn't mean they have fully turned a new leaf. No matter how alluring their words are the end reward is never as sweet as their words first make it seem, always remember that Ichigo."

And remember he would.

"Alright, enough of this dark talk for now," Tsukuyomi cut in with a clap to draw their attention, "We will tell you everything soon Ichigo, for now, let's enjoy dinner."

The mood lightened significantly after that and with a signal from one of the Trinity, the food began arriving. It was delicious, maybe even better than Yuzu's – though he would never tell her that – and it was never ending as well, hell, there would be a servant at his side refilling his cup before he even knew it was empty.

It was nice being pampered like this every once in a while he would admit, though he didn't think he'd ever want to live in a house of his own with servants like this. It just wasn't something that really suited him, he liked living in smaller more cozy homes doing things for himself, the manors were beautiful of course but he felt like they'd just feel too empty and lonely most of the time.

* * *

It wasn't until the next day that their conversation from the previous night's dinner was continued, but after hearing everything they had to say it was worth the wait.

"We'll be sending you to a place called Kuoh Town in Japan, also you will be transferring into and starting classes at Kuoh Academy this upcoming week so you'll have a couple days to familiarize yourself with the town and your new home." Amaterasu started.

Now Ichigo wasn't stupid but things did tend to slip past his mind from time to time and much to his embarrassment a house had been one of those things this time around, it didn't even click in his mind that he would need somewhere to stay. "My new home?" he could only hope that it wasn't some extravagant luxury manor that would make him stand out.

"Indeed," the God of the Sea and Storms couldn't help but chuckle, he could see the apprehension in the teen's eyes, "Worry not my boy, we know you prefer to live a modest lifestyle so we took the liberty of preparing a simple two bedroom apartment for your use."

Ichigo sighed out lightly in relief much to the amusement of the Trinity, "I'll have to work on getting a part-time job then."

"Don't be silly! You'll be much to focused on schooling and other issues to waste time on a job, We've already taken care of all expenses," the elder-looking God continued, "More so, we've assigned someone to take care of your property when you're out, things such as keeping your home stocked with food and other various supplies, cleaning, and repairs should something.. unfortunate occur."

Ichigo wasn't sure what to say, he was very appreciative of course but he felt like it was too much for him, though he knew how stubborn these three were and that they wouldn't budge no matter how much he tried to persuade them, so instead he just smiled gratefully and said thanks.

"So why Kuoh Town specifically?" the Shinigami asked.

"A very good question," Tsukuyomi replied, head nodding approvingly. "It isn't the town itself that's particularly special but instead the people who inhabit it. The Town is a joint devil territory holding the current heirs to both the Gremory and Sitri clans."

' _Oi Oi, are they trying to create a political shit storm?_ ' he couldn't believe what he was hearing, "Won't this create problems? I mean, I know that Japan is _your_ territory, but it's no secret that these girls are residing there right? It's not like you can just drop me there and play it off as an accident."

"Yes, once your true identity and your affiliation with the Shinto comes to light it will cause problems, but that's the point." A mischievous light entered Amaterasu's eyes as she spoke, one that Ichigo wasn't sure he liked. "We devised this plan for two reasons, the first was so we could regain a foothold in the supernatural as well as have someone who can actively interact with it, the second was quite simply to make a statement to the devils and to everyone else that the Shinto Faction is not to be trifled with."

Ichigo merely shook his head, giving an expression of mock exasperation. "Alright so tell me more about this place, the school I'll be attending, I'd probably be correct in assuming that both of these girls hold high positions within it right?"

"Correct, Sona Sitri or Souna Shitori as she goes by in the human world is the student council president and the rest of the council's members are filled up by people in her peerage. Rias Gremory, on the other hand, is the president of a club, the 'Occult Research Club' which merely stands as a front for their devil activity, as with Sitri-san the members of the Occult Research Club consist of the members of Gremory-san's peerage.

The school itself it's a fairly prestigious academy and until this year it was an all-girls school." Tsukuyomi couldn't help but huff in laughter after seeing Ichigo's reaction to that last tidbit of information, he was always so serious and yet so expressive when it came to such trivial things.

' _You have got to be kidding me.. of all the schools it had to be one that recently changed to co-ed?_ ' dragging a hand down his face he sighed out, there was no point in getting too bothered by it just yet, for all he knew lady luck was finally on his side and it had already filled up with a lot of boys evening things out.

"Well, what's the ratio of girls to boys? Surely it can't be too bad right?"

Giving a crooked smile Susanoo replied, "It's about a 4 to 1 ratio." a choking sound was all he heard in response from the teen, however deciding that there was still fun to be had he continued, "Don't go kicking the bucket on me yet boy, I still haven't gotten to the best part, a vast majority of the boys there are all perverts who transferred thinking they could get an easy harem."

"..fuck me." Who did he piss off in a past life? His mother had raised him to respect and treasure woman, and that's how he had lived his life until now. People always called him a prude but that wasn't it, he just didn't believe in sleeping with any woman that would join him in bed, to him that was meaningless. It was because of how his mother raised him that he hated perverts like the ones he would be going to school with now, treating woman like objects, trophies, things for pleasure and collecting them in a harem, that kind of thing pissed him off.

" _That is a noble mindset to have Ichigo but one thing you must realize is that in the supernatural something like a harem is not looked down upon like it would be in normal human civilization, you must be more tolerant of the people who believe in such practices at least for the sake of peace._ "

Ichigo merely grunted, begrudgingly agreeing with his Zanpakuto.

Seeing that the Trinity had settled down from laughing at his misery he figured it was best to get back to business. "Last night you said 'just because they have knocked one or two bad habits doesn't mean they have fully turned a new leaf, what did you mean by that?"

Instead of answering right away the Goddess of the Sun signalled to one of the servants lining the room who then proceed to place a brown folder in front of Ichigo. He glanced at the three curiously but asides from the downcast expressions they now held looking at the folder before him they gave nothing away."

Upon opening the folder and glancing at the content within his body went tense and his blood boiled.

* * *

 _Classified: Shinto Intelligence_

 _Subject Name: Yuuto, Kiba [Current] Isaiah [Formerly]_

 _Subject Species: Reincarnated Devil [Current] Human [Formerly]_

 _Sacred Gear: Sword Birth_

 _Information: An orphan claimed by the church for participation in 'The Holy Sword Project.' Was deemed a failure by Valper Galilei who planned to have this batch of children killed with poison. If action had been taken quickly enough his life could've been saved with an antidote. Sirzechs delayed the report to his sister until the poison set in so that she may use the premise of 'saving him' as a reason for reincarnation._

 _Subject's Status: Reincarnated as a Knight by Rias Gremory._

* * *

 _Classified: Shinto Intelligence_

 _Subject Name: Hyoudou, Issei_

 _Subject Species: Reincarnated Devil [Current] Human [Formerly]_

 _Sacred Gear: Boosted Gear_

 _Information: A human teenager with no prior knowledge of the supernatural or the Sacred Gear which he possessed. The Fallen Angels had begun to target him for elimination. The Gremory heiress was made aware of the situation. On the day in which Issei Hyoudou was to meet the fallen in disguise, Rias Gremory had summoned her familiar and set it at the location in which the meeting would occur. We believed that she would hand him a flyer imbued with summoning magic allowing her to come when the boy is attacked, this would give the Gremory heir grounds for eliminating a Fallen Angel. Our hypothesis was incorrect, the summoning magic only activated after the boy had been brought to death's door, the Gremory heiress offered to save him under the condition that he becomes her servant. He accepted._

 _Subject's Status: Reincarnated as a Pawn by Rias Gremory._

* * *

 _Classified: Shinto Intelligence_

 _Subject Name: Argento, Asia_

 _Subject Species: Reincarnated Devil [Current] Human [Formerly]_

 _Sacred Gear: Twilight Healing_

 _Information: Abandoned by the Church after healing a Devil. Was roped in with Fallen Angels and after coming to Kuoh Town she befriended Issei Hyoudou. The Fallen Angels who wanted he power performed a ritual which pulled her sacred gear from her body nearly killing her. Rias Gremory who was present at the time was more than capable of killing the remaining fallen and returning Twilight Healing before the girl passed away, she did nothing._

 _Subject's Status: Reincarnated as a Bishop by Rias Gremory._

* * *

 _Classified: Shinto Intelligence_

 _Subject Name: Toujou, Koneko [Current] Shirone [Formerly]_

 _Subject Species: Reincarnated Devil [Current] Nekomata (Nekoshou) [Formerly]_

 _Sacred Gear: None_

 _Information: Shirone and her elder sister Kuroka were members of the late Astraeus Marchosias' peerage. The Marchosias clan head wished to tap into the powerful abilities that the sisters possessed as not only Nekomata but the rare breed of Nekoshou and thus began experimenting on the older of the two. Shirone's older sister (Kuroka) succeeded in awakening her latent abilities, Astraeus planned to experiment on Shirone next, Kuroka discovered this plot and planned to free her sister. Kuroka killed Astraeus Marchosias as well as his peerage, she was almost caught but managed to escape, she is now a wanted Devil. The other heads of the remaining 72 pillars wished for Koneko to die so that such a tragedy may never occur again. Sirzechs has covered up the truth of the situation, the story agreed on is that Kuroka while drunk on power killed her master and fled the underworld. Sirzechs has claimed he will transfer Koneko into his younger sisters peerage where she may 'watch over' the young Nekomata who shouldn't suffer for the sins of her elder sister._

 _Subject's Status: Rook in the service of Rias Gremory_

* * *

A loud snap rang out through the room as a large chunk of the table which the four were sat at broke off under Ichigo's immense grip. The teen was completely silent and still, the only movement you could see from him was a slight trembling as he shook with a continually growing anger.

' _Why?!_ ' he just couldn't fathom it, "They weren't even given a choice!" he roared, slamming his fist off the table once. "How could they play with someone's life like that?!" and again his fist slammed off the table which was slowly cracking under the onslaught. "To let someone is poisoned! To let someone feel the pain of being cut down! To let these people experience the terror of being brought to death's door! And for what?! To become someone's servant?!"

Finally, he snapped, "DON'T FUCK WITH ME!" Again his hand came down, this time it was met with no resistance as the table shattered beneath the force and the ground beneath his feet blackened from the fiery reiatsu which seeped from his body.

The Shinto just remained seated as the teen vented in front of them, they weren't angry as it was damage easily repaired. They understood what Ichigo was feeling, they had felt the same thing when they first found out too.

"Don't fuck with me," he spoke out again quieter this time as his anger started easing off, instead, turning into sadness. Ryujin was containing all of Ichigo's reiatsu for him so that he wouldn't do any more damage to the room or the servants. Each of them was trying their best to maintain composure but couldn't handle such power and were using the walls behind them as crutches.

"And what of the girl, Shirone.." he started once more, gaze downcast, "lied to by the only people she thinks she can trust. Told that her sister, the only fucking family she has left was a monster who got lost in power when in reality her sister was just saving her from the same horrid fate she was forced to go through."

"Don't fuck with me," he spoke one final time as he fell limply back into his chair, he just couldn't understand it. If someone tried to turn Yuzu and Karin away from him like that he didn't even know how he would react, the one thing he was sure of was when the dust settled after everything he probably wouldn't be proud of it.

* * *

It had been two days since that last meeting with the Trinity. After Ichigo had read the file and his emotions consumed him they figured it would be best to just call it a day. That whole event would have no doubt been mentally exhausting for him and the last thing they wanted to do was push Ichigo.

The Shinto Trinity had actually called to meet with him again today to discuss the possibility of pushing back his departure date another week so he had more time to collect himself but he turned it down saying that he was alright, and so here they were gathered in the gardens of Amaterasu's manor preparing to bid farewell to Ichigo.

"Are you sure you're alright Ichigo-kun? I don't mind postponing your transfer into Kuoh Academy another week."

Ichigo smiled at the woman addressing him, she really worried like a mother. "No, I'm fine really," he replied shaking his head lightly. "When I returned to my room that night I entered my inner world and let out my frustration with a spar against Ryujin. After getting a good nights sleep I re-thought about everything with a clear head and though it still pisses me off that they would do something like that I won't let my emotions get the best of me again."

Amaterasu smiled and nodded her head in acceptance, an action that Tsukuyomi and Susanoo followed, "Well, before you go we have something for you from everyone here in Takama-ga-hara, a gift filled with love and wishes of success on your journey ahead."

It was something simple, but it suited not only him but Ryujin as well and because of that he loved it. They had gotten him an elegantly made, deep crimson obi that matched nicely with his orange hair, golden brown eyes and the hilt of Ryujin's blade. He didn't like standing out too much but after securing it around his waist he couldn't help but think how perfect it looked on him.

"I'm sure you felt it but that is no regular Obi," Susanoo began earning a nod from the teen, "It was crafted by Senjumaru Shutara, one of the Captains in our Royal Guard, it's made with special material that grants the wearer a significant boost in defence, so use it well."

"I will, thank you," after hearing that bit of information this really was the perfect gift he could've got.

Starting slowly and growing in radiance as the seconds passed an intricately constructed golden magic circle started to form beneath Ichigo's feet, the man in question was gazing at intently, fascinated by this form of magic which he'd only see a handful of times.

"Just push some reiatsu into the circle and it will bring you to your apartment Ichigo-kun."

He nodded, briefly locking gazes with Ayame who was stood in the back and offered her a smile and nod of his head, she had become a good friend to him in these Heavenly Planes. Turning his attention back to the Shinto Trinity he offered each of them a smile as well, "I'll come back soon for a visit, and if something happens on the other side don't hesitate to tell me."

The God of the Moon smiled amusedly that was just like Ichigo, one world wasn't enough for him to protect, but that was one of the things that made him, _him_. "Of course, Ichigo-kun, and we look forward to seeing you again,"

With that, he fed a little bit of reiatsu into the circle below him and waited as the golden glow consumed him, however, much to the surprise of everyone present he suddenly stopped. His head was tilted forward causing his bangs to shadow his eyes and keep them from view, his mouth was also set into a thin line, one showing contemplation and a little hesitancy, "Amaterasu." he spoke slowly,

Somehow the Goddess of the Sun knew she wouldn't like whatever Ichigo was about to say, "Yes, Ichigo?"

"Who is in charge of maintaining the sinners of Hell, making sure they don't get out."

' _Oh dear.._ ' she thought to herself, glancing discreetly at her two brothers it was obvious that they knew what this was about as well, ' _Yuzu and Karin are lucky to have a brother that cares so dearly for them._ ' the Goddess of the Sun just hoped he didn't do anything rash, Ichigo already had a pretty low opinion of the Crimson Lucifer, now he would know that it was that same mans blunder which almost lost Ichigo his sister to the chains of Hell.

"Sirzechs Lucifer, Ichigo-kun."

The young Shinigami gave a nod of thanks but without saying anything else a golden glow enveloped him and he was gone.

Breaking the silence of the clearing was Susanoo as he burst out laughing, "That Lucifer brat had better watch it, Ichigo may be too weak to do anything right now but soon, very soon he will unlock Zanka no Tachi and when that happens.. his safety will not be so secure."

* * *

Ichigo wasn't sure what to expect when he crossed over – and he knew he had because as his senses stretched out he felt only unfamiliar reiatsu signatures – however, he didn't think it would be _this_. It looked exactly like his side of the parallel, like he was just in one of the adjacent towns to Karakura which was a little disappointing. The disappointment didn't last long however because the beings he sensed already were worlds different than anything he'd ever felt before, and that was enough to grab his interest.

" _Stretch your senses out further Ichigo, tell me what you feel._ "

Doing as his Zanpakuto instructed he quickly found what Ryujin had, ' _Eight signatures in close proximity, four of them fluctuating wildly, a fight!_ ' this would be a good chance to get a sneak peak at how people fight over here, a small burst of flame enveloped him and when it cleared his Shinigami garb and Zanpakuto were no longer visible, instead displaying a white long-sleeved shirt, faded grey jeans and sneakers, ' _That is way more convenient than my side, having to leave and re-enter my body was such a pain in the ass._ '

A brief sound of static raced through the air as the teen vanished from sight.

When he arrived at the destination he noted that this was the school he would be attending which made him frown, if the people were fighting here than it could be.. ' _What are the odds, the first people I see on this side are her and her peerage._ " the teen clicked his tongue in distaste from his perch above, with a soft shake of his head he turned towards the fights themselves, Issei Hyoudou and Kiba Yuuto were fighting two unknowns. ' _It doesn't seem to be too serious, the only one actually releasing any malice is Yuuto though it doesn't seem to be directed towards the blue haired girl he's fighting, odd._ '

Silently he watched as the fights progressed, the blue haired girl was simply deflecting all of Yuuto's hate-filled blows, fighting with anger wasn't necessarily a bad thing but only if you channelled it and used it as strength, he was just throwing his emotions around haphazardly, he would never win like that.

The chestnut haired girl had just been avoiding letting Hyoudou's gauntlet touch her, it seemed like he was trying to use a technique that required physical contact but he couldn't hear too well.

Weighing the pros and cons he decided to move a little closer though he'd have to be careful, he noticed right away that the white-haired girl, Koneko Toujou had been scanning her surroundings quite frequently since his arrival, he'd heard that Nekomata had amazing sensory ability and thus she probably felt something but couldn't quite pinpoint him, then again not many people could stand in the air so she probably hadn't thought to look up.

"..You have a lecherous face Issei-kun, I wonder what you're thinking."

Now that she mentioned it, the Hyoudou boy really looked like a pervert with that grin and his nostrils flaring.

With a small flick of her wrist, she sent him backward creating space and giving Koneko a chance to step forward with something to say, "Please be careful. Ise-senpai has a technique that will destroy the clothing of any girl he touches."

Striking a dramatic pose the chestnut-haired girl replied, "What a disgusting technique, oh lord please forgive this sinful pervert!" even though the girl said that she didn't really look too put off by the idea if the blush on her cheeks were anything to go by, perhaps there was a history between the two? She didn't seem to be a pervert.

Issei was on his hands and knees begging Koneko to not look at him with such a sad gaze, ' _Lose that damn technique and you probably wouldn't have such issue, dumbass._ ' Ichigo could help but facepalm as he watched the scene before him, ' _Oi, am I dealing with a bunch of loons over here? Maybe I shouldn't have agreed to do this._ '

Slowly this 'fight' continued on though Ichigo just sat there with a deadpan expression on his face. You had one guy whose anger was blinding him into fighting stupidly and the other was using perversion as a fuel for his power, and the worst part was that it actually seemed to be working!

Nonetheless, it seemed Issei was finally running low on energy and thus he made one last attempt which was actually pretty close, had the chestnut-haired girls agility been slightly worse he would've gotten her, but he didn't and as the Red Dragon sailed over her on a direct path for Asia and Koneko, Ichigo decided he had to step in.

"Bakudo #81, Danku," he whispered, seeing the translucent wall appear caused each of those below him to startle however their attention was quickly drawn to the pervert who had just smashed head first into it. With a small sadistic smirk, Ichigo turned and Shunpo'd away, he'd seen enough for now and he still wanted to familiarize himself with the town and his home before school started.

* * *

~ A/N:

 **There we go, this chapter was a lot longer than I originally planned but I can't really complain, Ichigo finally made it to the DXD side of things!**

 **So there are a couple things I want to mention here, firstly that we see a sort of contradiction in this chapter. I keep talking about how Ichigo has matured, he's stronger mentally, he's ready to kill, yet the first time he actually does so he collapses and shuts down, however, this was a necessary thing for his growth. Its one thing to fortify yourself mentally to do something, but a completely different thing to actually do it. this was Ichigo's first taste of actually killing someone and the brutality that would occur with the fire he now wielded. he needed this to continue growing.**

 **Secondly, I just want to clarify something with how Ichigo powers work in the DXD side of things. As you noticed when he arrived I had a line about how he was enveloped in flames and after the vanished his Shinigami garb and Zanpakuto were no longer present, that is how his powers will work on this side. Much like a Fullbring where you can equip and unequip your gear as you need it.**

 **The thing to remember is that in DXD there is no soul form where only spiritually aware people can see you, in DXD everyone can see everyone and the powers they use. Ichigo is essentially in his soul form right now only everyone can see him be they human or not. Also, it's already been shown that people can summon outfits, just look at Akeno, she summons her Miko clothing when getting serious so I gave Ichigo something like that too.**

 **Also a quick note about him using Danku which a very high-level Bakudo spell, don't worry, he isn't a Kido master by any stretch of the meaning yet, he literally only knows like three spells, a couple low-level destructive ones, and Danku, him and Ryujin have been solely focusing on training that one spell so Ichigo would have a strong defensive ability to complement his massive offensive powers.**

 **If you have any thoughts on the chapter than feel free to leave a review, I'm always looking to improve my writing and so constructive feedback is appreciated. If you have any questions then feel free to message me, I always reply when I can.**

 **\- Vertius**


	9. Chapter 9

**Hey everyone, it's been a while but I'm back now with the latest chapter.**

 **I've really been getting excited about writing again lately and I've made some more progress with the plot of this story. Also, I finally know how I want it to end which helps because I actually have something to write towards, whereas previously I was just writing blindly.**

 **With this chapter, we have now breached the one hundred thousand word mark for Guardian of the Dead which is incredible. Now that I have a better idea of where I want this story to go it's kind of a daunting task, by the time all is said and done I could see us easily reaching half a million words which is a lot.**

 **But, even more than the word count I have to give a huge thank you to everyone who has supported this story so far. I know it's a cliche thing to say but I honestly never thought GOTD would ever grow to be as big as it is. We're nearing nine hundred favourites and have already breached a thousand followers and that's just unbelievable. I can't thank you all enough for allowing this story to grow as much as it has,**

 **Anyways, enough of the sappy stuff, please enjoy chapter 9!**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own Bleach, Highschool DXD, nor any of their respective characters.**

* * *

Guardian of the Dead

\- Chapter 9 -

It was one of those things that couldn't quite be explained, one moment Issei had been sailing through the air with a lecherous grin on his face and his perverted technique ready to strike and the next his face was mashed up against a translucent wall. There was a mix of confused and worried looks directed towards this era's Red Dragon Emperor, the sole exception being Koneko who looked quite pleased with this turn of events. Her dislike for perverse actions and subjects was well known and so as much as she wanted to for the peerage's sake, she found it very hard to get along with the embodiment of lust that she was teamed up with.

The sound of glass shattering rang throughout the courtyard as the shimmering wall fell apart, with a speed no human could match Rias made to grasp a piece in hopes of discovering not only what this strange form of magic was that she'd never seen before, but who cast it. She huffed out in annoyance when just as her fingers were closing in on the shattered glass fragment it dissipated into nothingness, leaving naught a trace that something had ever been there in the first place.

She sighed out as her head tilted upwards towards the two exorcists, "Since it appears we've been interrupted let's just call it here, the both of you have clearly won," it was obvious she wasn't happy with the performance of her two servants. She had a look on her face that said training would be happening as she knelt next to the downed Issei.

"Very well, I hope you'll keep in mind what we discussed before," Xenovia simply replied, though before completely turning to leave the blue-haired exorcist shifted an uncaring gaze towards Issei who was massaging a sore spot on his forehead from his place on the ground. "I will give one warning to you as well, the Vanishing Dragon has awoken, you will meet him eventually though with your current state you would stand no chance of victory."

Even as she spoke such harsh words her voice was flat. It was obvious that she didn't care what fate befell Issei, in fact, if this so-called 'Vanishing Dragon' were to eliminate him she'd probably look at it as one less devil she had to kill. Issei didn't bear ill will towards her because of that though, he understood that the Angels and Devils were natural enemies. Even though there was peace right now he'd learnt from Rias that it wasn't really peace just yet, more of a 'you stop killing us and well stop killing you' kind of thing, a very fragile ceasefire at best.

Not waiting for a response the exorcist turned on her heel and began walking away prompting her chestnut haired partner to frantically don her white robe once more and take chase lest she is left behind. Slowing down briefly she left her childhood friend with some parting words, "Just come and find me if you ever feel like being judged Issei, and please never use that technique of yours again! Amen!"

All eyes shifted towards the downed Dragon Emperor as an unsettling and perverted chuckle escaped him, "You are a worthy foe Irina Shidou, but do not be mistaken! When next we meet I will be even stronger and your clothes will stand no chance of survival!"

Instantly he could feel the cold eyes of the school's mascot on him though that was to be expected, despite his best efforts so far Koneko still wasn't very fond of him. And well, it probably didn't help that he was mere inches away from accidentally stripping her bare just moments ago.

A short distance away from the laughter and teasing of the Gremory Pawn, the lone Night whom just suffered a humiliating defeat at the hands of the very sword which caused him so much pain and suffering from a young age was trying and failing brilliantly at controlling his emotions, suppressing the hate, the dark all-encompassing desire for revenge which burned anew in his heart.

He'd been living as a zombie for so many years, ever since Rias came to him that night and offered him a chance at a new life, a better life. Ever since he finally got a taste of what it was to be loved, to be cared for, to have a warm home, a comfy bed and more food then he could ever eat he'd lost sight of his true purpose. The purpose which only he could do as the sole survivor and carrier of his comrade's grudges, his purpose of destroying Excalibur.

He hoped that he would be able to walk away without anyone noticing just for the sake of avoiding this awkward situation which would surely arise but it seemed that luck was not on his side. So as his master called out to him he could only tense up and clench his fists in hopes that she wouldn't try and force him to stay.

"Kiba, I can't allow you to go," her voice was firm but compassionate, it didn't take a genius to figure out what was on the swordsman's mind and what he planned to do, and knowing his past she couldn't blame him for feeling as he did.

Still, Kiba did not turn to face them, instead, he just spoke with a solemn tone, "I know President, that's why I'm sorry."

With a few quick steps Rias was no more than a foot away from him, her hand grasping his wrist tightly, "Please stay Kiba, we've been together a long time and I know what you're feeling but this isn't the way to do it, you could be labelled as a stray if you go through with this and be hunted, then nothing will be accomplished."

Her tone was pleading and it deg deep into his heart, he wanted to stay, so badly he did, but he couldn't, and so with a small flick of his arm he broke free from her grasp and vanished with the speed gifted to him as a knight, leaving his friends to stare at the spot where he once stood.

All attention shifted to Rias who still hadn't retracted her arm from its outstretched position, she was at an impasse for what to do. On one hand, Kiba was the boy she saved so many years ago and an irreplaceable part of her family, on the other hand, she was the Heiress to the house of Gremory and one wrong move from Kiba could potentially restart the great war.

If such a thing were to happen all the blame would fall on her shoulders as his master. Now, that particular thought didn't bother her, she would gladly be reprimanded for one of her servant's actions if what they did meant something to them, but this was about a lot more than just her. Her family and more notably her brother who was one of the current four Satan's of the underworld would be on the line too, and because of that, she couldn't act recklessly like she normally would.

Therein lies the problem.

Does she report what has just transpired to her brother so that precautionary measures may be taken, or does she feign ignorance and give Kiba a chance to accomplish his goal, to free his heart of turmoil which holds him down. It wasn't a decision she could make lightly nor was it one she could spend too much time pondering, perhaps she could discuss it later with Sona.

' _If only there was someone unaffiliated with Devils, Angels, and Fallen Angels that could interfere without facing the risk of restarting the great war.._ ' with that final thought she signalled to the rest of her peerage that activities were done for the day and they would reconvene tomorrow. She had some thinking to do.

* * *

~ Kuoh Academy, Sunday Morning

"Alright, so the reason we have gathered here again is because I'd like to discuss what happened yesterday during the fight with the exorcists," Rias started from her position at her desk, Issei and Asia were sat on one of the couches on the room, Koneko was opposite to them and Akeno was stood at Rias's side like usual.

Despite the ordeal with Kiba going on Rias didn't let it affect her mood, she had broached the subject with Sona and the Sitri heiress had told her just what she needed to hear. Quite simply that Kiba wasn't a fool. He was overcome with resurfaced feelings of anger and hatred which was why he was out on this solo mission of revenge, but he wouldn't let that cloud his judgment to the point where he would do something as foolish as jeopardizing the fragile peace between the three great factions.

For now, they would keep quiet about it and just monitor the situation from afar with their familiars. Sona said it perfectly, sometimes people have inner demons that they must conquer alone, that if someone does it for them then deep in their heart the problem will never be truly healed.

"That translucent wall which stopped Issei was unlike any magic I'd ever seen before, the fact that there was no magic circle present only makes it all the more confusing," this was also something that she'd discussed with not only Akeno but Sona and her Queen Tsubaki as well. Both of them were quite knowledgeable when it came to the technicalities of magic for their age.

The one constant between the four of them, however, was this, "To my knowledge, there has never been a person or race that could utilize magic without a magic circle, this is unprecedented and could potentially provide substantial advancement in how we use magic. So with that said I need to ask if anyone noticed anything odd or suspicious at all during the fight, anything that could lead to the origins of this magic?"

Unbeknownst to the rest of the occupants in the room, in the depths of Issei's soul the Welsh Dragon, Ddraig was pondering something that brought his mind no small amounts of concern. He recalled back to a short while ago when he'd shared with his current host and his comrades a tale from his time as a true Heavenly Dragon, the tale in which he fought against a true demon of fire.

There was one thing he didn't mention about that fight, not because he was withholding information, but because it never actually clicked in his mind that what the man was doing shouldn't be possible. He wielded a fire hotter than any he'd ever seen, moved at speeds most could only dream of, and held enough strength in his fists to shake the very earth to its core and yet not once during the whole fight did the man ever summon anything even resembling a magic circle.

This was a reason for concern because just as the Gremory heiress said, there was no magic circle associated with that barrier. Now there was no definitive proof of this but the most logical answer would be that right now in this very town, a member of the Shinto Faction and more specifically their Royal Guard was active, someone who his wielder currently would stand no chance against.

It bothered the Red Dragon Emperor because times had changed, no longer did he merely give power to his wielders for a chance at killing the white one, that had gotten old so long ago. He found it much more interesting now to give his wielder power and let them use it for whatever they wished.

Would they be selfish and use it for personal gain? Would they be selfless and use it to help others? Or would they let the power consume them and turn their hearts black, going on a rampage of destruction and murder until their bodies could no longer take it and they'd die? To see all these different paths that a humans mind could take them was fascinating, and he wanted it to continue.

His current wilder was no different. Sure he'd had some hosts in the past which liked woman a little more than the next guy, but he'd never had one so obsessed with woman and more specifically their breasts than Issei Hyoudou, it was interesting in its own way. He enjoyed the peace which filled the world right now and he enjoyed watching his current host stumble through life as he did.

He would be sad if Issei died but that was where the problems began, there wasn't all that much Ddraig could do to make him stronger quickly. In terms of strength, he was a below average human born from two below average parents with not a single trace of latent magical potential at all. This wasn't a case of starting from zero and working your way up, this was starting in the negative and trying to get back to zero before you could even think about going further.

If all this wasn't enough to deal with it was confirmed earlier that Albion had woken up, meaning he'd found a new host, one that could have had a complete opposite start from Issei. A person born from Magician's with overflowing magical power and potential, that would be the worst case scenario though thankfully it was unlikely.

The Welsh Dragon threw his senses back outwards when he noticed his wielder perk up, it seemed that the Nekomata had risen her hand to speak.

"Yes, what is it Koneko?" this was what Rias had been hoping for, even though she was completely untrained in her powers Koneko's sense was still far superior to any of theirs. If anyone was going to notice something then it would be her.

"Someone came halfway through and watched the fight, they left after that magic was used."

Rias perked up at this, she figured that someone had been watching because who else would have summoned that barrier otherwise but if Koneko had gotten a good feel of their energy then maybe they could head to where they were watching from and look for clues or residual energy to study. "Could you pinpoint their location?"

The white-haired girl shook her head lightly in response causing the other people in the room to slightly deflate, it was worth a shot.

It was surprising though, "Why? Is there something interfering?"

Once more she shook her head prompting a couple brows to raise in confusion, "It felt like they were everywhere."

That rose some brows though this time out of surprise more than confusion, how could it feel like they were everywhere? After slightly contemplating those words for a few seconds Issei rose his left arm slightly into the air and inquired about their dilemma to the legendary being tied to his soul.

"Ddraig, do you know anything?"

A flash of red briefly blinded the room before leaving to reveal the familiar gauntlet of the Boosted Gear. [ **Mm, the little one is right in saying it felt like they were everywhere, I could sense it too. It's not a special technique or anything like that, just simple energy manipulation.** ]

"eh? What do you mean?"

Ddraig sighed internally, his wielder still had a lot to learn. [ **To put it simply, whoever the spectator was, spread their energy out thinly all over the surrounding areas so that they could blend in seamlessly to the surroundings, meaning even if you knew they were there you wouldn't be able to pinpoint them.** ]

Rias held an impressed gaze, "Which means whoever it was isn't low levelled.."

[ **Correct, the amount of energy required to pull off such a feat would outstrip any of you in your current states, furthermore they've demonstrated that they have a fine control over their power however vast it may be, they are likely quite experienced in combat and at the very least have spent many long hours training.** ]

The Gremory group deflated at those words, they knew Ddraig wasn't trying to insult them but this was information that had to be said and it was depressing to hear that this unknown person outclassed them, likely by a wide margin. If this unknown was an enemy than Rias and her Peerage probably wouldn't stand a chance at winning.

Sensing their distress the Heavenly Dragon tried his hand at comforting, [ **Don't let it get under your skin too much, I don't believe this person is an enemy. Based on power alone they had no reason to hesitate in attacking you earlier, more so, they used that barrier to defend Koneko and Asia from my wielders perverted technique.** ]

The fact that Ddraig had just taken a jab at his technique completely left Issei's mind as he was reminded of the previous day's unfortunate turn of events, "That's right! That bastard! I was so close to seeing boobs and then they had to interfere, they'd better hope we never meet cause I'll make them pay!"

Upon finishing his wild declaration he shrunk back into his seat, Asia was smiling bashfully and Rias and Akeno thought it was funny, Koneko herself wasn't so much a fan though, instead, she was currently glaring daggers at the pervert, no doubt wishing that her gaze could kill him.

Perking up at her desk Rias grasped the room's attention with a small clap of her hands, "That's right, I just remembered! Sona said that tomorrow there's going to be a new third-year transfer student, an Ichigo Kurosaki if I recall correctly."

To her right, Akeno rose a hand to her mouth as she giggled, "Ufufu, Strawberry-chan huh?"

"Another girl for Issei-senpai to pray on.. how sad." this comment earned another giggle from Akeno as Issei started crying fake tears and whining about how mean Koneko had been lately. Unknown to him his troubles as a pervert were only going to get worse because it wasn't a girl he'd be seeing tomorrow but a man who most woman would agree was the reincarnate of Adonis.

* * *

~ Monday Morning

Ichigo had slept better than he thought he would, it was his first night in this new world and asides from the companion in the depths of his soul he was completely alone. He wasn't really nervous about starting at his new school, he'd been punched, kicked, stabbed, sliced, had holes blown through him, been shredded by Byakuya's Senbonzakura. Ulquiorra had thrashed him so badly his bones had pretty much become dust and he'd even died a couple times to top it all off.

Something like starting at a new school was so far down on the ' _wow_ ' scale it wasn't even funny.

He wasn't worried about the fact that he was behind a good couple months either. After doing some exploring yesterday and checking out his new apartment he'd sat down and browsed through the new textbooks and honestly there wasn't anything that he had to try to hard to figure out. He supposed that Ishida was owed a thank you the next time they met, that bastard was so hell-bent on making sure Ichigo didn't flunk classes while saving the world that he'd actually forced Ichigo to go a little bit ahead in the curriculum.

Speaking of the town itself, it was really nice. He'd taken his time exploring it with a mix of ground and air travel and had mentally marked out a couple key locations he would be frequenting. It was a fairly large town but it wasn't overly crowded or noisy, it was a place he felt he could enjoy living. His apartment was just as nice as expected, it was a modest two bedroom suite with a great view and no more than a couple years old. It would be perfect for when he needed to wind down and be to himself.

Looking himself over in the mirror he wasn't sure what to think, the Kuoh Academy uniform wasn't bad per say, but it was just a little too fancy for his taste's. And what was up with the three layers anyways? He would be far to warm in all that clothing and as such decided to forgo wearing the stripped middle-shirt and ribbon. What the hell kind of guy wanted to wear a ribbon anyway? It was obvious that this school had recently gone co-ed if that was part of the male wardrobe.

The teacher would probably give him shit for it but oh well, he didn't wear the Karakura High uniform properly either. So with those two items of clothing gone, he was left with the black pants and blazer, a white v-neck shirt and black dress shoes, it would do.

The walk to school wasn't as pleasant as he thought it would be, sure it was a nice morning and the streets were fairly clear asides from other students but in this case that was exactly the problem. He was starting to understand just how lopsided the ratio of girls to boys really was, and oh god the attention.

His bright orange hair was drawing the gazes of the men and woman around him, his appearance was holding their attention and once they noticed that he was wearing the same uniform as them the gossip started.

"Oh my, who is he?"

"Isn't that our uniform?! Kyaa! I'm so glad we became co-ed now!"

"Should we go say Hi to him?"

"What?! Are you crazy? Look at him, he's way out of our league."

"Oh look, he's scowling now."

"..Mmm, that's pretty nice too. I wouldn't mind if he disciplined me."

"Oh my god, you pervert! How can you say something like that out loud?!

... but now that you mention it.."

And with that Ichigo officially tuned out the rest of the outside world. It would be best if he didn't hear the rest of that conversation otherwise he didn't think he'd be able to keep the blush from rising to his cheeks anymore. The newest student of Kuoh Academy could feel the amusement radiating from his Zanpakuto spirit.

" _You're too stiff Ichigo, as long as you respect woman there isn't anything wrong with enjoying your youth. And don't try and act high and mighty, when our souls were bound I was given access to your memories, thoughts, and feelings and I witnessed firsthand some of your more adventurous fantasies during your times living with Rukia Kuchiki as well as when you were trained by Yoruichi Shihoin._ "

' _S-Shut up! I don't know what you're talking about._ '

" _Oh really? Well if those two don't ring a bell there was another that I remember seeing quite often, one involving the Second Division Captain. She was always quite hard on you but I was surprised to find out that you have such a sadistic streak in you, I wonder how she would react to you thinking about dominating her, I-_ "

' _Fine! Fine! Fine! I get it, I'll try and loosen up a bit so please stop!_ '

" _Hm, I'm glad we could work something out, now then you should probably do something about that red face before you get to school, wouldn't want people thinking you were a pervert would you?_ "

The remainder of the walk had been spent silently cursing out Ryujin Jakka who just continued to ignore Ichigo, the Zanpakuto had accomplished its goal and thus left Ichigo so silently fume. He'd returned to normal by the time he arrived though as soon as he crossed the gates to enter the school ground it felt like he was being watched.

He wouldn't put it past the Devil's to have set up some sort of observations around the school as this was technically their base of operations, it would only make sense to secure it. ' _But man, there sure are a lot of Devils here.._ ' it was kind of crazy to think about all the humans here who had no idea what they were really living alongside.

It made him glad to be in the position he was in. Sure, for some people it would be scarier knowing that monsters you are told about when younger to scare you are actually real, but in his opinion what's scarier is the unknown. Always looking over your shoulder or down a dark alleyway wondering if there was some horrific demon there and you just couldn't see it, he wouldn't want to live like that.

Brushing those thoughts from his mind he continued onward to the main building, he still needed to check in with the main office so he could get his schedule and maybe a nod in the direction of his classroom. He didn't really want to ask any of the students here as the first day hadn't even ended and they were already pissing him off. The males were glaring at him and the girls were staring at him like he was candy, this would get old really quickly.

" _It seems like the start of your school life is about to get better too._ "

It didn't take long for the meaning of Ryujin's words to be realized, at the top of the large staircase before him stood the Student Council President and Heiress of the Sitri family, Sona Sitra and her Queen Tsubaki Shinra. He had heard about them, apparently, they were both the diligent, serious, proper rule-abiding student type's which was fine, but it made Ichigo think that maybe they wouldn't get along so well. Sona was already eyeing him as if he was a walking violation.

A couple seconds and a few strides later and the both of them were no further than arm's reach away, all the students around them had stopped and gone silent, interested to see what was going on with the mysterious new person.

"I am the Student Council President of Kuoh Academy Souna Shitori, and this is the Vice President Tsubaki Shinra. May I ask who you are? I recognize our uniform but not your face."

She had quite the impressive presence, Ichigo could see a lot of students being scared to get on her bad side though for him it was a little different. It wasn't that he didn't want to take her seriously, but with both of them craning their heads up due to the height difference it kinda killed the whole serious atmosphere.

"I'm the new transfer student, Ichigo Kurosaki." just briefly Sona's and Tsubaki's eyes widened though not long enough for a normal person to catch it, ' _Odd, I'm sure she was aware of my transfer, maybe she expected someone else?_ '

Sona hummed briefly in thought before giving him another once over, stopping briefly at the neckline of his shirt, "You're uniform is lacking a couple articles of clothing, surely you wanted to make a better first impression than this?"

Ichigo gave her a dry look, "Nah, it's fine like this, that other stuff wasn't really necessary so I threw it out," He didn't miss the twitch of annoyance above the Student Council Presidents eye as he waved his hand dismissively at her comment.

The most annoying thing for Sona was that there actually wasn't a rule stating that the boys had to wear the ribbon or middle shirt, as long as they had on a respectable undershirt, the blazer, pants, and the shoes they were technically within school regulations so there wasn't much she could say. Not willing to go down without a fight however she attacked from a different angle, "Dyed hair is against school rules."

This time it was Ichigo's turn to hum in thought, meanwhile inwardly he was smirking because no matter what he thought of her the girl had come at the perfect time, "What's her excuse then?" he could've sworn he heard Sona tsk under her breath as his eyes flashed to the top of the stairs where Sona herself had first appeared.

It seemed that Sona would be going 0-2 today versus this new student. Due to her energy sensing abilities she didn't even need to turn around to see who Ichigo was talking about but for sake of keeping her secret she did, and up there with her bright red hair was her best friend Rias Gremory. The Gremory in question met eyes with Sona quickly before heading back to the man in front of her, an action which she mimicked.

With one last effort at beating Ichigo she spoke up, "As hard as it may be to believe, that's her natural hair colour."

Ichigo met her gaze once more and simply replied, "And this is mine."

Sona accepted her defeat and dropped the subject at that, after handing Ichigo his timetable and telling him where his classroom was she went back upstairs to meet with Rias.

She would admit that she was curious, it wasn't very often you got a third-year transfer student especially one so late in the year. Couple that along with the fact that she could feel the person's energy before they even entered the school grounds was enough to lour her from the ORC club room and out to the main hall to see who this person was.

It wasn't as if they're energy was massive and overflowing all over the place, no it was because it was so tightly held in and compressed that it warranted some looking into. It was obvious that whoever, or whatever this person was, they had power and were at the very least trained in controlling it so that it didn't leak out. This could be another potential Peerage candidate for her and if that was to be the case then she definitely wanted to beat Sona to the punch.

Yeah the issue with Riser was resolved but she never wanted to feel that helpless again, and so she would keep going until her peerage was full and train herself and her servants to be the very best they could be.

When she reached the main hall instead of stepping right out into the open she leaned against the pillar on the right and used her heightened Devil senses to listen in on the conversation. The first shocking discovery was that ' _Strawberry-chan_ ' wasn't a ' _-chan_ ' at all, it was a male which was odd, why would their parents name their son after a strawberry? Ignoring that for the moment she focused on the second shocking discovery, the guy was actually managing to get under Sona's skin which was a feat all in itself.

After hearing their argument touch on his supposedly 'dyed' hair she decided that it was time to see this mystery person once and for all and oh boy she wasn't disappointed. The guy was a looker alright. ' _Issei really isn't going to like this,_ ' she thought to herself with a small giggle. Focusing on her best friend and the new guy once more she was interested to hear that his hair was actually natural, well with hair like hers it wasn't all that unbelievable.

A couple more brief exchanges later and Sona was walking back up the stairs towards her, Tsubaki following shortly behind. As soon as the Sitri Heiress was within earshot Rias opened the conversation. "So what do you think of the new student?"

Sona's mouth twisted into an annoyed mockery of a smirk before responding, "His mind is just as sharp as his tongue."

That comment earned her a short huff of laughter, "Mm, it's not very often I see you on the losing end of an argument."

"Don't remind me," shifting her glasses back up the bridge of her nose she addressed her queen, "Tsubaki, what did you think of Kurosaki-san?"

It didn't take long for the girl to respond, though her answer wasn't totally as expected, "When I met his eyes I found it hard to breathe."

Another giggle escaped the red-haired girl, "Oh dear, that doesn't sound very good for Kiba-kun," Sona rolled her eyes at this comment, give it to Rias never to miss a chance at teasing someone. Then again, with Akeno always getting her she had to try and get her revenge somehow. It was no secret that Tsubaki had a crush on Kiba and so this was a perfect chance to tease that point, it clearly worked because her face went beet red as soon as she realized how her words could be interpreted.

"T-T-That's not what I meant!" realizing that she was only being teased she briefly pouted before regaining her composure and elaborating on her original statement, "What I meant was that his gaze was intimidating, at the same time however it was alluring, like the longer I gazed into the depths of his eyes the harder it was to break away, it felt like I was going to be consumed."

Those words took the smile off Rias's face, that was a worrying thing to hear, looking towards Sona her response was much the same.

"I couldn't have worded it better myself, there's definitely more to the transfer student than meets the eye."

* * *

"Alright then, please introduce yourself."

He wanted to groan as he turned to address his new classmates, not only was he the only male in it but it held the four devils he least wanted to be around, Rias, Sona, and both their respective queens. It was understandable that the four of them were eyeing him closely even if they were doing a good job of hiding it, the rest of the girls in the class? Not so much, they were openly ogling him.

"Yo, the name's Ichigo Kurosaki, pleased to meet you all."

" _How charming, it's good to see you're as gruff as usual._ "

Ichigo merely gave his Zanpakuto a mental image of him flipping the bird as his new teacher tried to think of something to say, she clearly hadn't been expecting such a.. lacking greeting either.

"A-Ah, Kurosaki-san, why don't you tell us a little bit about yourself?"

Resisting the urge to roll his eyes he briefly locked gazes with that of Sona before beginning, "Well before it gets asked, yes this is my natural hair colour," he inwardly smirked as the student council presidents brows tilted together ever so slightly, "Also my name means 'He who protects' not 'Strawberry,' so please don't make that mistake." he had to make sure he got that out of the way, the woman in his past all loved teasing him about that, telling him how cute it was.

"I enjoy reading and am a big fan of Shakespeare, I love playing sports and being active, I've been trained in two styles of martial arts since I was young and I'm currently still practising one of them, I've recently gotten into Kendo as well." which wasn't actually a lie, one of the staples of his training with Ryujin was the art of the sword.

Of course, it wasn't that the oldest and most powerful Zanpakuto was trying to change Ichigo's current style because for someone who only ever learned in the heat of battle his swordsmanship was excellent, but learning the basics would allow his base form to be improved and enable him to bring his Zanjutsu closer to the level of a master swordsman, much like Shigekuni.

It's not like Ichigo was opposed either, he'd seen the ridiculous power Kenpachi had used against Nnoitra when simply using a two-handed Kendo swing. Also, Ryujin had already demonstrated some powerful precision techniques done with the sword that could really give him an edge in battle, and when fighting with your life on the line you take every bit of help you can get.

A small round of applause from his classmates later and he was finally allowed to go to his seat letting class begin, not that the attention strayed from him. The four Devils especially were intrigued, a level of energy much higher than that of a regular humans as well as training in both hand to hand combat and swordsmanship. His eyes which held a depth much like that of their siblings, parents, and relatives who had seen war, there was no question about it, Ichigo was a part of the supernatural, of that they were sure.

Lunch was pretty anti-climactic, it was most likely because of the unapproachable aura he subconsciously gave off but none of his human classmates attempted to try and talk to him, instead choosing to admire from afar. Upon the bell ringing, Rias and Akeno both left the room most likely going to meet up with their club, before he could stand to go purchase his own food though he once more found the Student Council President at his front, the Vice President just behind her.

Thankfully it wasn't anything serious that she wanted, quite the opposite actually. She merely extended an offer for a tour around the school grounds which he graciously accepted because now that he thought about it he didn't even know where the cafeteria was.

* * *

~ Thursday after school.

As he watched the pawn of Gremory approach with narrowed eyes he wasted no time in prodding the king of perverts for information on the current situation. "So? Why did you call me out here Hyoudou?"

The suspicion lacing his voice was enough to make Issei sweat-drop, was he really so untrustworthy? "C'mon Saji, can't a guy just want to hang out with his friend?"

"Hah! Maybe a normal guy sure, you however not so much. If it doesn't have boobs you don't want anything to do with it."

It was kind of sad that Issei couldn't refute his claim, "Well you know how it is.. I mean you like Sona don't you?"

What was meant to be a bit of lighthearted defection turned into something much more depressing, as soon as Sona was mentioned he deflated in his seat, "Don't remind me of such painful memories, ever since that new student came she's been spending more and more time with him than me!"

With fake tears streaming down his face and a fire burning in his heart Issei felt his camaraderie growing with his fellow pawn at the mention of that evil bastard, "I know how you feel, ever since he came all the girls have been gushing over him! They won't even spare enough time to bash my perverted tendencies anymore!"

A few feet away sat on the other side of some hedges was the school's mascot Koneko Toujou who face was set into a flat deadpan at what she was listening too. For a few days now she had noticed that the embodiment of lust had been acting strangely, often lost in thought, jumpy, overly defensive when asked what he was thinking about, and so out of curiosity she decided it would be best to keep an eye on things.

That curiosity quickly started fading as no matter how much she watched him he did nothing out of the ordinary. Until today that is. Issei had gone to meet up with Saji which in itself was odd, not that the two were on bad terms however they didn't exactly hang out all the time either and so upon hearing the time and location in which they would convene Koneko made sure to arrive there ahead of time so that she wouldn't miss anything, because something had to be going on behind the scenes, right?

The more she listened in on the two twits behind her she began having some serious doubts, what had started as a suspicious and awkward greeting had turned into a full-on bashing of the new transfer student. The white-haired Nekomata had yet to even meet the guy and she already liked him more than these two.

Just as she was about to call it quits and head home an unexpected fourth arrived bringing an end to the goofing off and the beginning of a plan that just may cause more harm than good.

"Kiba, thanks for coming on such short notice."

The man in question merely nodded his head in response. He much like Saji had been was very suspicious when Issei called him telling him they had to meet up right away as Issei had something to talk with him about, seeing the pawn of Sitri alongside him only rose his suspicion further. "What is this about Issei?"

The Red Dragon Emperor fidgeted a little bit, sure of what he wanted to say but finding it hard to actually speak it out loud. Honestly, he wasn't sure if Saji would even agree to help. The guy really didn't have a reason too, even if they succeeded in Issei's plan he would still be in serious trouble with his master, but this was important to the Red Dragon and so it was worth the chance, it's not like there was really anyone else he could ask anyway.

* * *

~ Thursday, with Ichigo

He knew a little of what was going on behind the scenes, a Cadre class Fallen Angel named Kokabiel was moving separately from Azazel and trying to stir up trouble with the other factions, though to what end he didn't know. It would be a lie if he said he hadn't hoped for a bit more of a break. He'd just started school again and was working hard to catch up on missed assignments and tests and his days were relatively free of interruption.

Asides from the Sitri Heiress and her Queen who exchanged a little more than pleasantries with him daily pretty much no one talked to him, instead choosing to 'admire from afar' which was more than fine with him.

"Oh please, have mercy on our pitiful souls!"

"We are naught but errant sheep of his Lord!"

Yes, he had _hoped_ for some more peace before things started really moving once more behind the scenes, but as he watched the scene unfolding before his eyes the famous quote ' _no rest for the weary_ ' popped into his head. He'd only wanted to go out for dinner but that's exactly where his problem started. Stood right in front of the quaint little restaurant he'd spotted during his initial scouting of this town were the very same exorcists that defeated Hyoudou and Yuuto now looking like they hadn't eaten in a week, preaching about God's humble sheep and pity, it was honestly pretty depressing to watch.

"Oi," Ichigo called out gruffly gaining the attention of the duo, "You're bugging everyone with all this yelling out here." After looking around and seeing the irritated frowns directed their way they at least had the decency to look sorry. Taking a moment to weigh out his options he nudged his head in the direction of the restaurant, "Come on, I'll buy you guys a meal."

He hadn't planned on having company but this was a good opportunity to gather some information on Kokabiel and maybe that mysterious killer as well. He'd noticed it the first night here when he was exploring the town, perhaps because he had so much experience with battle or maybe those of the supernatural just had a natural ability to sense that dark, eerie coldness akin to death but he'd already found the aftermath of a brutal murder three of his five nights here.

Bodies chopped up into small pieces with a stomach-turning reiatsu permeating the area, he had tried for hours to locate the person behind it but no matter how far he stretched his senses, not even with Ryujin's help was he able to locate the person behind it, it was like they just vanished into thin air. They were lucky he was having such a hard time because something like this he wouldn't stand for, and when he finally got his hands on the culprit he would..

He shook his head to distance himself from those dark thoughts, it wouldn't do well to dwell on that right now as there were two girls waiting for him to fill their stomachs. Speaking of.. it was like something out of a cartoon how fast they'd managed to clean up their makeshift stall and before Ichigo knew it the two were marching right on in the building not even checking to see if their willing donor was following them.

His purpose for coming here had originally been to have some dinner though with the two people who currently kept him company he found that his appetite was a little lost, thus he instead chose to nurse a cup of coffee, half watching out the window at the people passing by and half watching the two savages before him devouring everything within arms reach.

Funnily enough most of the attention in the diner was directed at him, usually it would be the man who ate enough food for a family of four but instead, it was two teenage girls, in this situation he was the odd one out and not them.

Despite what Ichigo thought the two girls weren't solely focused on the food, well okay maybe at first they were but after they got past their starving hunger they started studying the man before them. Yes Irina and Xenovia weren't the sharpest tools in the shed but even they knew that not many people would just buy a random person a meal and not expect anything in return, let alone two, so instantly they were suspicious.

He didn't seem in the least bit hostile, they say that a person's eyes are the window into their soul yet on the occasion that his eyes would meet with one of theirs there was nothing hidden within the golden brown which should give them cause for concern, they were intimidating yes, very much so, but not dangerous. He looked like any normal – really attractive – human guy and if it wasn't for the energy he gave off they would think he was.

It wasn't something they'd felt before, he was clearly Japanese which meant he wasn't from a different pantheon around the world and neither was he any of the races which made up the three great factions. So that only really left the possibility of him possessing a sacred gear, something which they had no way of confirming unless he said so himself, and that was unlikely.

Finally, a good twenty minutes after their original arrival the duo finished eating and were finishing the last of their drinks while Ichigo just patiently waited. He didn't mind that it was taking so long, in fact, the calm was nice, he didn't know the two before him at all but he didn't find being in their company displeasing either.

The sound of a throat being cleared drew Ichigo's gaze back inwards to the girls currently in his company. "Thanks for buying us dinner, I don't think we could've gone on much longer without food," the twin-tailed exorcist noted shamefully, she had been very foolish with their money and because of it, they ended up in this situation, she wasn't very proud of herself, to say the least.

"Yes thank you, unfortunately, we don't have much to offer you in terms of repayment for your kindness so if it is up to your standards then my body will have to do."

The young Shinigami had to quickly reach for the nearest napkin as he chocked on his drink, he cast an incredulous gaze at the blue haired girl's partner who looked just as shocked as he was while trying to hide her cherry red face. Ichigo had been teased before, Yoruichi was the definition of a seductress and she loved to rile him up so he was fairly used to such comments, but it was the way she said it with such seriousness, without a hint of any colour on her face which would signal embarrassment and the simple fact that he could tell she was being 100% serious that caught him off guard.

Even now as he cleaned up the spilled coffee she was looking at him as if _he_ was the crazy one!

He hoped this wouldn't offend her as she was quite attractive but, "It's fine, I don't need you to do something like that."

Well thankfully she didn't look offended, more determined if anything, just as she was preparing to push her offer again the second of the two cut in, "While Xenovia's offer was a bit.. extreme, I feel it would be wrong not to do something to repay you so if there's anything you'd like than just say so."

Ichigo didn't respond right away, instead choosing to let the question linger in the air a little, the longer the silence went the tenser the pair became. Perhaps he was a bit of a sadist, as he watched the two squirm under his heavy gaze he found it quite amusing. Deciding that he'd waited long enough he finally breathed out, "I'd like information." It wasn't so much for mercy that he finally answered because as he said those three words a small smirk was on his face that told the two he wanted exactly the type of information they were thinking of.

The atmosphere shifted between the three people. Irina and Xenovia did know what he was referring too and while they still didn't know what he was or who he was affiliated with, they at the very least knew he was aware of the supernatural and likely of them too.

It was not a comforting thought. It seemed very unlikely to the duo that this man could be their enemy and yet they know nothing of his power or the information he already possessed, they were at a complete disadvantage.

Irina tried to put on her usual cheery smile and deflect but it wasn't happening, "Well we don't really know too much you see so.." she could only trail off at the end as the look in the young mans eyes told her that unfortunately for them he wasn't stupid nor was he buying her poor attempts at deflection.

The orange haired teen hummed thoughtfully as he relaxed back into his seat, a more casual look setting onto his face. "Look, I ain't going to force you to talk if you don't want to, I didn't just do this because I wanted information, you guys just looked really sad out there begging for money when you could hardly stand."

Both girls acquired a light dusting of pink on their cheeks at those words and became rather bashful, "Are you an ally?" Xenovia asked bluntly, it could be possible that he was sent to help and they just hadn't been informed of it, it was highly unlikely but still possible.

Ichigo mulled over the question briefly before answering slowly, "No, I'm not an ally." Yes he would probably interfere at some point depending on what the situation was or would be but right now it wouldn't be wise to affiliate himself with anyone, he'd always been a lone wolf just doing whatever he thought was best and it'd always worked out.. eventually.

He could tell that the girls were alert because of those words so he figured it would be best to continue his sentence, "I'm not your ally, but neither am I your enemy, for now, I'm just a neutral party that likes peace."

A moment of silence passed before they exchanged a brief glance with each other and nodded in agreement, they felt like they could trust him and so they would share a little bit of information, but first "I just realized that we don't even know your name."

His eyes widened briefly at that statement, it had completely slipped his mind because he knew who they were from watching the fight yet they didn't know him, shaking his head lightly he corrected the issue, "I'm Ichigo, Ichigo Kurosaki."

"It's nice to meet you Kurosaki-san, I'm Irina Shidou and this is Xenovia Quarta." the bubbly girl greeted. clearly not having recognized the name, her partner, however, was different.

Xenovia was an odd girl in that her memory was quite selective, she would often forget things that most other people would deem as important and instead remember obscure things that probably wouldn't be of help to you unless in the most unique of situations.

Funnily enough, this _was_ one of those situations.

She twitched ever so slightly upon hearing the name, a memory of her childhood flashing back to her. Unless doing her tutoring with Griselda she was often alone, her emotionless face and voice often gave her the appearance of being cold and arrogant, like she believed she was better than everyone else, this had the unfortunate effect of turning all the other children her age against her.

So instead of being shunned by the other children, she would seclude herself in the library and study. One such book she remembered vividly because of the contents it held were of a forgotten race, the _Quincy_ , a group of humans who could draw in the powers around them to form bows which fired arrows of energy.

The book also spoke a little of their creator who was revered by the other Quincy as a God and some of the more prominent Quincy families, the Quincy royalty so to speak, and one of those names which were always spoken of as immensely powerful was the 'Kurosaki.'

Now of course the Quincy were said to have just vanished from existence over a thousand years ago so it was highly likely that they never existed in the first place, and even if they did Kurosaki isn't exactly a rare name, it was uncommon yes, but not completely rare, thus there was no way to know if this man before her was even slightly related if the legend was actually true.

However, she still had to consider the possibility because what else was there? He wasn't an Angel, Devil or Fallen Angel, he wasn't from another pantheon around the world, nor was it likely that he had a sacred gear because she had been around many sacred gear users in her life and he felt nothing even remotely like them.

Yet he had power.

It was hard to gauge accurately because it was so tightly wound up and suppressed, but he definitely had power and the longer she sat in his presence the more she realized how dangerous he truly was.

Unaware of her partner's inner thoughts she just continued on with granting Ichigo's request, "We can't go into to much detail but a little should be alright.

Said man nodded his head towards the exorcist, "Even a little bit is helpful."

This prompted a short joint explanation from the two detailing that they had been sent by the church to retrieve some stolen property that the Fallen Angels were using to try and bait the Angels into attacking them, it really was the bare minimum of details but that was fine with Ichigo, with the little that he already knew he was able to piece together a fairly good picture.

Essentially Kokabiel who was working against Azazel's wishes stole something from the church which as they said was being used to goad them into attacking, although there wasn't really a point in doing so much just to go at it with the Angels so clearly there was more to it than what these exorcists thought. Most likely the Devils were somehow going to be drawn into it as well if Kokabiel had his way meaning the Great War would restart which was likely his goal.

At that thought he couldn't stop the sigh which escaped him, ' _what a pain, looks like I really will have to keep an active eye on this, I'm already having enough trouble catching that killer too._ '

When the two girls across from him stiffened up and started casting looks out the window from the corner of their eyes Ichigo stretched his senses out and found what had put the two on edge, "Devils?" they were small blips, so much so that if the two before him hadn't picked up on it he probably wouldn't have noticed.

But he hadn't been training ruthlessly for nothing and so with a bit more concentration four faces popped into his mind, ' _Toujou, Yuutu, and Hyoudou, the fourth is a part of Sona's peerage though I don't know his name._ ' This was honestly quite troubling, if they spotted him here with the two exorcists it would lead to suspicions being raised against him that he didn't really want to deal with.

He wasn't worried that they would find out something he didn't want them to know, but if the Devils started following him around which was all too likely then it could really hinder his until now free movements. "Well let's call it here for the day, I don't know what the Devils are sneaking around here for but it likely has something to do with you two."

The two exorcists nodded in agreement, they weren't aware that Ichigo was currently going to the same school as the Devils and so didn't question him suddenly wishing to part ways. With one final thank you for the meal and a goodbye the two groups split.

* * *

~ With the Devil Group.

When Issei finished explaining his plan Saji could only stand there, mouth agape in silent horror as he imagined what Sona would do to him if he went along with this and she found out. He loved his master and was glad that out of all the Devils he could work for he was with her, but she was not kind and forgiving like Rias was. She was a serious and diligent girl who always expected obedience and perfection in every task given, and if she found out he was doing something like this behind her back then the consequences would be severe.

"No, no, no, no, no! You're crazy! That's suicidal and I'm not taking part! I'm going home!" Well, he attempted to at the very least, Issei and Kiba could only look on curiously as a small hand stretched out from the opposite side of the thin hedges and grasped Saji's shirt, holding him in place and demonstrating a strength that shouldn't be possible for such a dainty arm.

Taking this opportunity Issei slung an arm around Kiba's and Saji's shoulders and led them around to the opposite seating area to meet his mystery helper, though all three were shocked when they noticed the school's unofficial mascot, Koneko Toujou stood at one of the tables. "Koneko-chan?!" he blurted out in surprise, ignoring the half glare sent his way at the use of the '-chan' honorific.

Seeing another of the Gremory's peerage only made Saji think that she was working with Issei and that they were going to try and force him into this, his fear of the punishment Sona was bound to give him was growing by the second, "Let go! Let go! Why me?! Isn't this a problem for the Gremory house?! You may have a death wish but I want to live past 20!"

Issei brushed off his frantic plea's with a halfhearted laugh, "Aw c'mon, you're a Devil too, at times like this we need to stick together and help each other out."

Now instead of trying to escape it looked more like Saji wanted to strangle the Red Dragon Emperor, "Screw you! Rias may be strict and gentle but Sona is only strict! She is a dictator who wouldn't stand for something like this! You don't understand the torture I would be put through!" He looked towards the silent Koneko who had yet to say anything in hopes that maybe, just maybe she would be the voice of reason but it wasn't happening.

"Even though there is such a risk I'll help as well, for Kiba's sake.."

"Wait guys.." the man in question finally spoke up in a soft tone, his hands up in a manner suggesting pause, he was happy that his friends would be willing to go to such lengths to help him, he really was, but this was a battle he had to face alone, he couldn't bring them in on it too, he couldn't risk them getting hurt after he'd walked out on them all.

"This means a lot to me Iseei, and you too Koneko, that you would want to help me in this situation make my heart lighter than it's been in a long time, but I'm already in enough trouble as it is, I can't bring you guys in on it too. Just go back to the President and wait for me, okay?"

Issei's response was instant, surprising the Knight, "I refuse."

"Issei pl-"

"No!" he blurted out, cutting off his foolish friend, "Wait for you to return?! Don't be foolish! You're just asking to get yourself killed!" Kiba flinched at the harsh words, it wasn't like they held no inkling of truth. "You don't have to do this alone, this is what friends are for! We care about you and want to help you!"

"And I appreciate it Issei, I do, but this is different, I-"

"No it's not!" once more Issei cut him off, tired of this foolishness, "Just like you want to get revenge for your fallen comrades, we want to help you because you are our comrade, our family! Denying us is like denying those who you swore to avenge!"

Kiba recoiled, eye wide as the words rang throughout his head, his fists were balled as he berated himself, and when his shirt was tugged on leading him to meet the teary eyes of Koneko the only thing he could do was stand there and lament about how foolish he was, "You're right, Issei. I'm sorry for pushing you guys away.."

Saji could only stare on curiously as he watched Issei brush of the apology, stating that he had nothing to apologize for as long as he realized his foolishness, Rias Gremory's rook nodding in agreement. He didn't understand it, "Why? Why are you two trying so hard? Even at the risk of punishment, or worse, over-stepping your bounds and causing a far bigger problem than you can handle alone, why are you going so far as to help with his revenge? Just what is it that happened?"

Issei and Koneko glanced at Kiba, it wasn't their story to tell so unless he felt like sharing it again to someone else there probably wouldn't be much they could do in the end to convince Saji to take the risk of being punished and help them. Thankfully Kiba nodded resolutely, understanding that to gain allies he would have to extend them the trust of knowing about his past.

In the next few moments that passed, Saji had never felt such strong emotions in his life, listening to the tale of the tragic past the Knight before him had lived was too much and he too found himself unable to stop the tears which formed in his eyes. He finally understood why they would risk so much to help him on his path for vengeance, even when the stakes were so high.

' _Agh! Dammit! How the hell can I say no now after hearing that?!_ ' Saji screamed internally, his logic and common sense at war with his heart and what he knew was the right thing to do. "Fine! You got me! Let's do this and damn the consequences!"

His three accomplices all smiled at him, thankful that they would have another ally on their side, now it was time to decide on their next plan of action. As much as they talked things over, about all the potential what if's and maybe's, it was a unanimous decision that first and foremost they would need to find those two exorcists.

"We obviously need to find them for two reasons. Firstly because they are by no means weak, as they demonstrated last weekend they outstrip both myself and Issei in power, having them work with us would increase our chance's of success that much more. And secondly, even if they wished to work separately from us as we are Devils than maybe they could at least point us in the right direction."

This earned a collective nod from the Devil team, though there was one glaring issue, "Finding them is easier said than done.."

Koneko's words were a real blow to their confidence because for all they knew the two girls could be long gone, yes they were here to collect the stolen Excalibur fragments but that didn't mean they hadn't been switched with someone else. The pair hadn't been spotted by any of the Gremory group thus far since their initial meeting and since it would be unlikely that the girls were lying low due to their mission, that only further gave traction to the theory that they were no longer here, or at the least not here right now.

"Let's not give in too quickly, it's already pretty late so why don't we do a bit of group searching and then tomorrow we'll set area's for everyone to search." the Red Dragon butted in, surprisingly being the voice of reason and taking the lead in this situation.

* * *

"Uh, I found them" the pawn of Sitri spoke out in a detached tone, too bothered by what he was seeing to let any emotion seep into his voice.

It was almost laughable how easily they found the two exorcists. They had been preparing themselves for what could potentially be quite the tedious task if not impossible and yet here they were no more than half an hour later gazing into the glass window of a modest diner which Saji's outstretched arm pointed, gazing at the two they needed to find and a shocking third.

The four young Devils weren't veteran's of war nor experienced politicians, they had, however, each been around enough high ranking Devils and important people due to who their masters were to know that judging by the facial expressions being used between the three it wasn't simply friends out for dinner.

They all knew from the very beginning that Ichigo Kurosaki was no ordinary human, it wasn't even the above average energy which he possessed that made them think that either. It was his presence that was so dominant and overwhelming that it felt as if they were in the presence of one of the four Satan's. It was his gaze that spoke of a man far older than the 17 years which his profile stated who had seen a lot more than any of them would ever want to.

It was the lethargic and disinterested front he used to hide his elegant and graceful posture, the way every motion he took was precise and bore no wasted movements, the way his body was always tense and poised for quick action even when he was likely unaware of the fact.

He was someone who they all instinctively felt they should fear, and to see him now with the two exorcists and likely allied with the church did nothing to lessen that instinctual fear either, in fact, it only made it grow larger.

When finally Issei spoke up breaking the silence the three other Devils wholeheartedly agreed with his opinion, this could be far bigger than any secret plans they held of destroying Excalibur and it couldn't remain unknown, "We have to tell the President."

* * *

~ A/N:

 **Alright, let's talk about the chapter a little bit.**

 **So firstly let's talk about names, Shiba vs Kurosaki, that was the question I had proposed the last chapter and I just want to say thanks to everyone who took time to give me their opinion on the situation because it helped me make the final decision. I was really leaning towards using Shiba, like so close that when I originally started writing this chapter I was using Ichigo Shiba, however, when I was editing it and re-reading to check for errors it just didn't sound right to me.**

 **I want to clarify however that this doesn't mean that Shiba will be taken from the story completely, as I've stated before I already put a lot of emphasis on the Shiba clan and what they stand for in the Shinto society and that isn't going to change, Ichigo is still going to embrace that side of his heritage and it will play more of a part during the story however I just couldn't bring myself to change his name completely to Shiba, not after he has been Ichigo Kurosaki for so long.**

 **Moving on now, I put a lot of emphasis on Ichigo's appearance and the way the girls around him responded to him, there wasn't really a reason for this other than I just wanted too. I know some people will think it was unnecessary and maybe even took away from the chapter and maybe it did but idk, it was just something I wanted to put in.**

 **I've always thought that Ichigo was one of the best looking male anime characters ever – well as long as you ignore end game Ichigo who looked like he was balding due to the trash life Kubo gave him but lets not get into that – also I dare anyone to tell me Dangai Ichigo was not one of the sexiest bastards you've ever seen, I feel like girls would fan-girl over him like crazy and I thought it'd be fun to put some of that in here, it's not like I'll be talking about how much the girls are drooling over him every chapter, it was just a bit of fun for the start of his new school experience.**

 **And while we're talking about a bit of fun that leads us into the next point, I'd like to say a little on the scene I had with Ichigo talking with Ryujin and Ryujin 'refreshing' Ichigo's memory on some of his more perverted thoughts so the guy would loosen up a bit. Just like the girls fangirling over Ichigo's appearance this was just for fun, no Ichigo isn't turning into a pervert where he talks about dominating girls every chapter and no this isn't turning into a harem either, I just wanted to have a bit of fun and remind people that while he is a serious person who respects woman, he's still a guy at heart just like everyone else and does have thoughts like that.**

 **If you have any thoughts on the chapter than feel free to leave a review, I'm always looking to improve my writing and so constructive feedback is appreciated. If you have any questions then feel free to message me, I always reply when I can.**

 **\- Vertius**


	10. Chapter 10

**Yes, I'm still alive and no this story is not abandoned! I'll explain more about where I've been and whats up after the chapter so if you're curious then read the A/N at the end.**

 **Some terms you may or may not need to know for this chapter.**

 **Shizentai – The natural standing position.**

 **Taito – Holding the Shinai at the left hip, ready to draw. The tsuka should be in front of the centre of the body.**

 **Ritsu Rei – Standing bow at about fifteen degrees for your opponent. When bowing to your opponent it is important that you keep constant eye contact, in fact, it is considered rude to break eye contact.**

 **Sonkyo – A crouching position which is performed at the beginning and end of every match.**

 **Men – The Kendo armour which protects the head, face and shoulders.**

 **Shinai – The bamboo sword which is used in Kendo.**

 **Zanshin – Mental and physical presence of spirit, especially after completing an attack.**

 **Tenouchi – The usage of hands to tighten/loosen the grip on the Shinai or adjusting the balance between the hands when striking or responding to an opponent.**

 **That's all, on with the chapter.**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own Bleach, Highschool DXD, nor any of their respective characters.**

* * *

Guardian of the Dead

\- Chapter 10 -

~ Thursday Evening

" _You're being far too dramatic about this, Ichigo,_ " Ryujin breathed out with a tired sigh, further shaking his head when his young wielder remained silent, choosing instead to continue his brooding in his apartment.

" _You're letting something which is based on speculation affect you far too much, we can't even be sure that the Devil's spotted you with the Exorcists. Judging from the position in which they were located it's all too likely that you were cut off from their view, leaving them with two exorcists talking with an unknown person or person's._

 _And even if they did so what? What does it change?_ "

"A lot," Ichigo finally spoke, a hint of sourness to his tone.

" _It changes nothing,_ " Ryujin barked out, drowning out any other thoughts Ichigo may have had.

" _What's the worst that could happen? The Hyoudou boy tells his master who in turn alerts the Sitri heiress resulting in both of them growing weary and coming to you for answers? Hah! A lot of good that would do, I'd enjoy seeing those arrogant brats try and force something out of you, though I sincerely hope they are not so foolish as that._ "

"Don't be crazy, if I tried whatever the hell you're thinking in retaliation I'd end up with at least two pissed of Satan's at my doorstep who – as much as it pisses me off to say – could very easily kill me in my current state."

" _Perhaps, but in return Amaterasu would blanket the underworld in the wrath of the sun, leading to one of the worst massacres in known history,_ " he spoke flatly, voice hollow and emotionless as the brutal scene which he just described didn't bother him in the slightest.

The pen in Ichigo's hand stood frozen mid stroke as his mind wondered about the spirit which he now called partner. Still so unaware of who Ryujin Jakka really was, or why the spirit was able to so freely talk about such horrible things without the slightest hints of emotion in his voice.

" _I wonder Ichigo, if you truly understand what it is you're asking for,_ " the Zanpakuto spirit cut in again sharply, voice firm and bubbling with frustration though clearly not directly pointed at his wielder. " _This is the second time the idea of Amaterasu saving or avenging you has been brought up and both times you have firmly protested against it, even though you haven't said it out loud I can hear your thoughts clearly._ "

" _To not need protection from the Goddess of the Sun, someone who could be considered in the top five most powerful beings of this world ignoring the two ultimate beings, do you_ truly _understand what that means?_ " Ryujin's voice trailed off slightly as he finished speaking, content to leave the conversation at that but not before mentally saying his final thought, ' _Do you understand what kind of lonely existence you are asking for?_ '

Much like Ryujin Jakka could hear Ichigo's thoughts it worked the other way as well and so Ichigo did hear the final question proposed by his partner as well as the solemn tone which accompanied it. It was the first time the young Shinigami had ever heard such an emotion from the spirit and it prompted him to finally ask about who Ryujin Jakka really was and how he came to be bound to a Zanpakuto. "Do you ask that question from experience?"

" _I'm old Ichigo, so much so that a thousand years is insignificant to me. I've been with Shigekuni now for going on 5 millennia but what do you suppose I did before that? As a wayward spirit who could render man or beast to naught but ashes before it's foe could blink, a demon of fire who could reduce cities to barren wastelands of charred earth, bitter smoke, and smouldering remnants of a civilization that used to be on the slightest of whims,_ I was alone."

" _The type of loneliness and endless silence that eats away at your sanity until there is nothing left but madness. Sure some beings revel in silence, the aforementioned Dragon God's being prime examples but I am no exception like they are, I_ loathed _that silence and was willing to do whatever I could to break it_ **,** " Ryujin's tone was dark as he finished, doing nothing to hinder Ichigo from piecing the next part of the story together himself.

" _I escaped my realm of fire and ash, ignoring the laws of the spirit world I shattered the chains which bound me to that world, that_ prison _and I made way for the human world leaving a path of destruction and death in my wake. Acres of forest, quaint little villages and large bustling towns, thousands of innocent lives ended, their souls sent through the gates of the afterlife screaming in agony as the memory of my flames licking at their skin lingered on._

 _And all for the purpose of ending the silence._ "

"Are you saying such a fate will befall me?" Ichigo asked tersely, voice strained as his heart wavered listening to the story his Zanpakuto told. It was hard to hear that his partner, the being now bound to his soul had done such horrible things and yet Ichigo could still feel not even a shred of regret from the spirit.

Ryujin aware of his wielders inner turmoil spoke bluntly, " _I will create no delusions for you Ichigo, I am by all definitions an evil being without remorse or care for anything or anyone, even now all these years later I feel nothing for the countless atrocities I've committed. If everyone in this town were to suddenly die I wouldn't bat an eye, as long as you are safe the world can burn._

 _I cannot say if such a fate will be yours to live as well but always remember, it is lonely at the top by yourself._ "

Silence fell on the two as Ichigo's heart waged war between it's conflicting emotions. He understood the purpose of the story and the point his Zanpakuto was making, that if he really wanted to protect everyone who couldn't do so themselves he would need to become the strongest, strong enough to defeat any enemy be they man or God. Already he could see what a lonely existence that could be.

He'd already had a small taste when his powers were restored and the seal on his latent abilities had been broken he witnessed firsthand the negative effects an uncontrolled power like that could have on the surroundings, that was why Gods never left their realms, why it was forbidden for them to walk amongst mortals.

If Ichigo gained the power to protect everyone like he'd always wanted then would he be forbidden to walk alongside mortals as well? The possibility was all too real and all too frightening. ' _With great power comes great responsibility._ ' Ichigo scoffed as the phrase crossed his mind, it was such a cheesy line said by all the cartoon hero's you could imagine yet even still it was so true.

"So what changed? How did you end up as a Zanpakuto spirit?" that was one question still bugging the teen, how could Ryujin go from what he was to being a weapon used for protecting the souls of the dead?

Said spirit let out a mirthless and bitter chuckle at the question, " _What happened? I was struck down. With a righteous fury born from the loss of so many of her children Amaterasu came down from Takama-ga-hara and crushed me, the flames of the sun overwhelming mine to a frightening degree._

 _Normally she would have been completely content to let me fade into oblivion but as a divine being with the lives of millions under her protection she cannot always opt for the 'morally correct' decision, thus I was given a choice. I could fade away into oblivion and be forgotten or give my soul to her and be bound to the first ever artificial Zanpakuto, becoming the most powerful weapon ever created by man or God._ "

"What better way to combat evil than with another evil?" A simple sentence with a much more complex meaning, Ichigo understood the concept even if he didn't agree with it. He didn't like the things that Ryujin had done during his life and the fact that the spirit was more than content having done them really bothered him but really what could he do? Nothing.

The old man had been working with Ryujin for thousands of years to protect the souls of the dead and now that torch was slowly being passed to him, something he would continue and so much more. Even if Ryujin didn't care about what he'd done in the past the fact of the matter was that he'd been inadvertently using his power for good this whole time because he could've very easily not let Ichigo or the old man wield his flames, but he did and still does.

So with some twisted justification that the young Shinigami wasn't completely okay with he could somewhat overlook the things his partner had done before.

" _Hmph, inadvertently using my powers for good? I told Amaterasu when I agreed to her crazy plan that I didn't care what I would be used for I just wanted the silence to stop, whether I'm used to do good things or bad matters not._ "

"Oi, stop adding fuel to the fire," Ichigo cut in with a mental glare to his vexing spirit, "It may not matter to you but it does to me and I'm trying to justify everything anyway I can, you keep making it harder, so shut it if you have nothing better to say." he finished in an annoyed tone drawing a small huff of laughter from Ryujin which marked the end to their conversation.

Ichigo had much to think about now anyway.

* * *

~ Friday Morning, ORC Clubroom

"Kiba?! Why are you here? I thought.." Rias trailed off lightly as her only Knight walked in the club room followed by an oddly serious looking Issei. She was at a loss for words, he had made it very clear the last time they'd spoken that revenge on the holy swords was his only goal no matter the cost so why was he back here already?

The possessor of Sword Birth could only direct an apologetic look towards his master before bowing at the hip, "I'm sorry President," he began, slowly rising once more to meet her gaze, a small, sad smile present as their eyes met. "I was overcome by my emotions and I regret the way I handled the situation. Issei and Koneko called me out and we talked, thanks to them I've begun to see reason in all of this confusion."

The Gremory heiress' eyes lit up with hope as she assumed this meant he was abandoning his suicidal quest for revenge, "does that mean..?" Her question was simple however when a shake of the blond-haired knights head accompanied it her face began to fall once more.

"I haven't given up- I _can't_ give up.. but, I've realized there are better ways to accomplish my goals and abandoning my friends, my comrades, my family is not the way to do it." The passion in his voice as he spoke was palpable though before he could say anymore he was enveloped in a big hug from the girl who saved him all those years ago.

Hearing that was good enough for Rias right now, she still wasn't completely okay with him wanting revenge even if she could understand why but this was enough for now. She was just so happy that he was back with her and everyone else. When two hands rested on her shoulder and gave a small push she relented her hold on him and pulled back only to be met with a now serious gaze from the swordsman, an expression she could see Issei mimicking behind him to the side.

"What's wrong Kiba? Issei?" She asked softly, making eye contact with both of them, all sorts of horrible ideas began playing out in her head of what could possibly be bothering them but nothing could prepare her for the headache-inducing news she was about to hear.

Kiba's eyes knitted themselves further together as he began to speak, "After Issei and Koneko finished convincing me that I was taking the wrong path yesterday we decided because of the time that we would eat dinner together before heading our separate ways and going home, however it was during our trip to a diner that we made an alarming discovery, something that could mean much larger things are moving behind the scenes than we can imagine."

"What did you see Kiba?" She asked sharply, her own eyes tilted down in a frown.

"We saw the new transfer student having dinner with those two exorcists from before," Kiba's own voice dropped at the mention of those two, thinking about them meant thinking about his humiliating defeat he was handed by the blue haired girl, something he had already begun to correct by vigorously training so that he would never be humiliated like such again. Pulling himself from his thoughts he continued, "We were too far to make out what they were saying and didn't wish to alert them of our presence by going closer however one thing I can say for sure is that it wasn't just a gathering of old friends."

Rias' eyes met that of Issei's and a simple nod of the head confirmed with her what Kiba had just said, it wasn't that she didn't trust the knight, not at all, she just couldn't afford to have any 'what if's' in this situation so finally she turned around and faced the smallest of her peerage who was for once not munching on snacks, instead just sitting quietly beside Asia.

The white-haired school mascot's perceptive and sensory abilities were far above any other in her peerage including herself, so if she wanted to know something about someone like what race they were if the person was particularly good at hiding it or if she met someone and wanted to know if the way they acted was their 'true self' and they weren't trying to deceive her than the first person she would always go too was Koneko, and this time was no exception.

"What's your take on it Koneko?"

"They were very docile.. When they were fighting Issei-senpai and Kiba-senpai they were confident that they would win and it showed, but with Kurosaki-senpai it was the complete opposite.. like they felt what we have."

Rias' eyes shut slowly as a sigh left her body. So Ichigo Kurosaki was a part of the supernatural, if they didn't have proof before then this was it. But, that didn't change the fact that they still knew nothing of who he worked for or how strong he was, though now she had a better idea and it wasn't very comforting. Sona, herself, and both of their respective peerages had both spent enough time around the new transfer to know what ' _that feeling_ ' was.

He felt almost like a regular human, he gave off just enough energy to tell them he had potential to grow stronger but not enough for them to think he would ever be anything special even with training. Yet even knowing that whenever they were in his presence they felt on edge, the hairs on the backs of their necks stood and it felt as if they were sat below an ocean, like he could crush them at any second.

The two exorcists weren't weak by any means, they easily dealt with Issei and Kiba and Rias knew that if the both of them got serious it would take herself and Sona to defeat them and it wouldn't be easy either. If those two really felt the same thing around the transfer student as they did and it was enough to make even them docile then that meant they believed they stood no chance in a fight against him which also meant that Rias and Sona probably wouldn't fare too well in a fight against him either and that just made all of this an even bigger headache than she needed.

Clearly the Gremory heiress' queen had pieced together everything just as Rias had and something was bugging her about it all, so with a troubled look on her face she stepped forwards from her position by her King's desk and spoke up. "Kurosaki-san can't be with the Angels." She began bluntly, "No matter how you feel about him personally we can all agree that he hasn't once made us feel threatened, quite the opposite actually. Even Koneko has said she feels no malice from him so I can't see them being fearful of him due to his personality, but if it isn't that then all that's left is his power, but that doesn't make sense either because if he was their ally then no matter how strong he was there wouldn't be a need to fear him, in fact, the stronger he was the better it would be for them."

Everyone in the room agreed with her deduction, it really didn't make sense.

"But he was definitely meeting with them about something supernatural related.. maybe their goals align?"

Even though none of them disagreed with what Issei said as it was most likely that they were working together because their goals were the same to some extent however that fact only made things more confusing. "He definitely isn't a Devil, and we're pretty sure he isn't an Angel which just leaves the possibility of him being a Fallen, but the problem with that idea is the exorcists want to retrieve the stolen Excalibur fragments, that isn't something the Fallen Angels would go along with which rules out the idea of him being a Fallen.."

A couple seconds passed in silence before Rias groaned and tousled her hair in frustration, there were too many unknowns in this. The possibility that another faction could be pulling strings behind the scenes here made this all a lot bigger than they originally thought. Should she tell her brother immediately? She honestly couldn't say. First and foremost she would discuss it with Sona and go from there, but for now, she had a little reconnaissance mission planned for her sole rook.

* * *

When the final bell rang and he made to exit from his classroom he quickly found two girls blocking his path of escape, Rias Gremory and Akeno Himejima, Kuoh's two great Onee-sama's. ' _They sure don't waste time do they,'_ he mused, his mood souring rather quickly as he waited for the duo to state their business. It was pretty obvious that the Gremory group had informed the Sitri Heiress of their findings during lunch period as the red-haired girl and her queen wasted no time in ushering the other two out of the classroom for some 'important business.'

Perhaps they were trying to intimidate him now with the serious air around them or the determination they held in their eyes while the standoff between them continued, but really it wasn't working. Ichigo was the king of flat, intimidating stares and he could make almost anyone become timid with a simple downwards tilt of his eyebrows. Obviously, this time was no different because as the seconds passed he could already see cracks beginning to form in their expressions.

Ignoring the two Devils, Ichigo was completely aware of the fast-growing crowd around the three, most likely wondering if they were going to see an epic drama unfold right before their eyes. He'd already become quite famous after his verbal match with the Student Council President upon his arrival, something that no other student had ever been brave – stupid – enough to do.

Unfortunately for the spectators, they wouldn't be seeing anything of interest as Ichigo had no desire for more attention than he already had, more so he actually had somewhere to be right now so with a curious glint in his eye he spoke, "Is there something I can help you with Gremory-san? Himejima-san?"

As if a switch was flicked both girls gained warm smiles on their faces, a stark contrast to the expressions they held just seconds before. Along with the smile's, their eyes glinted with mischief and with the case of Rias, some arrogance. Could he have been wrong about his assumptions before? Did he actually not get spotted with the two exorcists and this was something completely different? He could picture Ryujin's smug expression already should that be the case.

 _Or,_ perhaps did they believe they had the upper hand in this situation? ' _It's true they don't know much about my powers or abilities, for all I know they could think I'm some talentless punk._ ' That thought honestly pissed him off more than it should but the more he thought about it the more he realized that might be for his own benefit. Say for instance they _did_ spot him with the exorcists, that would be enough for them to confidently say he was a part of the supernatural and likely associated with Heaven and the Church, also it would affirm that he was likely stronger than they believed _but_ it would be impossible to say how much.

Sure it could be that she was just always naturally arrogant but if Ichigo were to hazard a guess he'd say that right now the Gremory heiress believed she was in complete control of the situation, that she and Sona could suppress him or pry whatever information the wanted from him at any time they wished. It was an assumption that if true he would be more than happy to crush.

Or maybe he was completely off base and way overthinking things because when the red-haired girl finally did speak to him it turned out that it had nothing to do with the subject he'd originally thought it would be about.

"Kurosaki-san! Sorry to bother you but I just came to ask about a little rumour that's been circulating recently, it's created quite the buzz among the girls of Kuoh Academy."

"A rumour?" He asked in a cautious tone, brow raising to express his confusion.

"Right!" She chirped out with a clap, her smile growing wider. "Rumour has it that you'll be having a match against our school's top Kendo practitioners Murayama-san and Katase-san today, I'll admit all the hype has kind of gotten me excited too and I was wondering if we could tag along?" at the word 'we' her hand swept out in a gesture which reiterated the fact that Akeno was the one she was referring too.

Face falling deadpan Ichigo resisted the urge to sigh out heavily, it seemed that the rumour mill had been doing what it did best and exaggerated things recently. "Look, I hate to burst your bubble but I never agreed to a match or anything, just that I'd stop by and check out the club."

Ichigo could only scratch the back of his head awkwardly when a collected cry of ' _aw_ ' rang out from the crowd of girls around him, ' _Was it really such a big deal?_ ' Hell, even Rias and Akeno were pouting slightly at the correction of information. It's not like he be able to even take a duel seriously right now, this wasn't like before where he could get back into his human body and his powers would be suppressed, right now his body was being augmented drastically by his reiatsu and there wasn't much he could do about it, it wouldn't be a fair duel if it happened.

Not one to be deterred however the Gremory Heiress didn't give up, "Well that's unfortunate to hear, though you never know when something.. interesting might happen so if it's alright with you I'd still like to tag along."

' _If that doesn't scream ulterior motive I don't know what does._ ' To the Shinigami the fact that she was so obvious about it told him one thing, that she really did believe she had the upper hand in all of this and that made him want to play into her hands even more, then finally when the truth all came out and her arrogance was knocked down a few pegs it would be all the more satisfying for Ichigo.

"Suit yourself," he breathed out, shoulders raising slightly in a shrug, "it's not up to me where you can or can't go."

With a smile that was far too sweet to be sincere Rias turned and began down the hall alongside Ichigo, Akeno one step behind her.

The attention as they walked was just as if not more annoying that he thought it would be, back at Karakura he had a reputation of being a merciless delinquent who sent groups of thugs to the hospital on a daily basis, and while it wasn't actually true it _did_ have the added benefit of keeping people and their gazes away from him, here though? Not so much.

"So how's your time at Kuoh Academy been so far, Kurosaki-san? Rias asked innocently drawing a sideways glance from the tall man next to her, ignoring the shiver the ran up her spine as she fell further into the depth of his gaze she continued, "It's not often someone transfers to a new school so late in the year."

Ichigo snorted mentally at the question, ' _That's right, they probably tried looking into my background and couldn't find anything. I have no doubt that Amaterasu would have created some phony story for me but for someone of the supernatural it isn't hard to spot a load a crap when you see one._ ' The Gremory and Sitri heiress's had probably been pulling out their hair in frustration at the lack of anything they could find on him, he was just a ghost who came out of nowhere, it was bound to drive them up the wall.

That was an amusing thought for the Shinigami, "Mm, it's been good, a little busy with all the catch up I have to do but it hasn't been that hard."

Raising a hand to her mouth the second of Kuoh's two great Onee-sama's released a soft laugh,"Ufufufu, not that hard he says? Kuoh Academy has always been known for having a much higher standard of learning than other school's, for you to say it hasn't been hard is quite something."

Ichigo merely shrugged again as Rias joined in laughing with her Queen, "I think there would be quite a lot of frustrated people around here if they heard that considering how hard they have to work to stay here, for some new guy to transfer in a couple months after the semester's already started and rise up the rankings as quickly as you have must be aggravating."

"Che, it's not like I've never had to work hard for something in my life, I wasn't born with everything handed out to me, I had to give everything I had to get where I am today. If they have time to complain about me doing well then they just aren't working hard enough." It could be argued that because of his heritage he did have a slight advantage in the supernatural world, but at the same time, he really didn't.

His heritage was kept a secret from him until after the war was already over. From the moment Rukia first awakened his powers to the moment he used the final Getsuga Tenshou to defeat Aizen he fought with an imbalanced soul, a soul which was constantly at war with itself, and a dismayed soul cannot grow and flourish to the full potential that a soul in harmony could. That coupled with the fact that the Old man had actually been suppressing most of his latent abilities meant that in reality, he was at a severe disadvantage throughout everything, yet he still won.

He didn't win with handouts, he won with hard work, blood, sweat and tears.

The two girls walking alongside him didn't miss the flash of darkness that swept through his expression as he spoke and it told them that there was a lot more to his words than what most would hear on the surface. As must as they wanted to inquire further with the new student their arrival at their destination killed any hopes of that occurring, well for now at least.

The sound of screaming girls and Shinai's colliding drew Ichigo form his thoughts, as he entered the Kendo Club's Dojo he was positively taken back by what he saw. It was large, a lot larger than what the outside of the building let on, high risers for seating stood on two of the walls, a third wall in the building held a couple of doors which led to changing rooms for the members of this club as well as a separate one for visiting schools that were separated by old Japanese texts and paintings depicting famous swordsman and the virtues and codes by which they lived. On the wall which he'd entered from there was obviously a door sat at the far end where he stood and all along the remainder were dummies ready for those of the Kendo Club to practice.

Finally, looking to the members of the Club – who were 'surprise surprise,' all girls – all but two of them were sat in Seiza with their Shinai at their side watching the centre of the three rings where the two girls who had come to talk to him originally were sparring. They were good, their footwork was fluid and quick and their strikes were sharp and light-handed. Kendo wasn't about beating your opponents with a wooden stick using all the strength you had, it was light, precise, and rewarded technique when cutting or defending your opponent, and as he watched them he could see the talent they possessed, Ryujin wholeheartedly agreed.

When the spar ended the two combatants settled into a more relaxed posture and it was then that one of the other club members who had been studying the match closely noticed that they had guests. The shocked 'Oh!' that escaped her then alerted everyone else to their presence and for a brief moment everyone just stared at the trio of Kuoh celebrities – yes Ichigo had already made it into that list – in shock and awe, much to the Shinigami's relief Murayama and Katase quickly removed their Men and padded over.

"Kurosaki-senpai, I'm glad you could come!" Murayama began, her tone a pitch higher than normal giving away her excitement at seeing the boy in question in their club. Thoroughly enjoying the bashful look on his face at their reactions she turned towards the two great Onee-sama's of Kuoh Academy who she was honestly surprised to see him with. "Gremory-senpai, Himejima-senpai, what can I do for you?"

Raising her hands up in a defensive manner Rias's hair swayed as her head shook in the negative, "Don't mind me and Akeno, we were simply curious much like the rest of the school when the news that Kurosaki-san would be coming here to spar with you today spread." Even though she couldn't see his face at the moment she knew that if the three were still alone the new transfer would be giving her a glare that could freeze the very bowels of Hell themselves.

Ichigo inwardly bristled at her words, he'd _clearly_ told the heiress that there would be no sparring today and as if it went in one ear and right out the other the first things she says after arriving is that he will be sparring with them. "Actually I-"

"What?! A spar with us?! Really?!" The pink haired girl blurted out, hands clasped before her chest and her eyes sparkling with excitement.

Hearing the other members of the club who were stood a short distance away break out in a hushed, excited chatter Ichigo resisted the urge to sigh out and pinch the bridge of his nose in annoyance. Rias's plan had worked, she put him in a position where he couldn't say no and he _really couldn't_ say no, not after seeing how happy it had made the girls. Pushing the irritation to the side he put on a still genuine half smile and nodded, "That was the plan but I forgot to bring anything with me today so.." he could still turn this around if he was lucky, or so he thought as he temporarily forgot who he was, he was Ichigo Kurosaki, the man who always had and always would get the middle finger from lady luck.

"That's okay!" Murayama quickly jumped in, not letting the opportunity slip, "When Kuoh Academy went Co-ed the Kendo Club received male gear as well but since we don't have any male members it's just sat unused in the male change rooms, I'm sure there's something that would fit you!"

With a slightly more strained smile that thankfully none of them picked up on, he praised her for her quick thinking and started towards the male change rooms. ' _So, any ideas? I can't spar fairly with them right now._ '

A low hum was his only response for the first few seconds as his partner mulled over their trivial dilemma, " _I have something in mind that could work but honestly the thought of using it for a situation like this is beyond ridiculous.._ "

' _Well ridiculous has been my life for the past couple of years so just say_ it,' Ichigo responded with a roll of his eyes.

" _There is an old Onmitsukido technique that isn't really well known to the masses due to the nature of it. It's used for missions that go awry where the Shinigami faces a high chance of death, essentially it allows the Shinigami to 'play dead' until such a time comes that the threat has left and they can attempt to return to the Seireitei._ "

' _Sounds a lot like just suppressing your reiatsu to me._ '

" _Completely suppressing one's reiatsu is unreliable because one small slip of their concentration and their energy will fluctuate briefly alerting the pursuer, this technique is a much more extreme version of that and was made to completely mimic death. To sum it up a Shinigami's Zanpakuto temporarily locks their soul stopping it from releasing out any reishi for a short period of time._ "

' _So what's the catch?_ ' the Shinigami could already think of a couple potential negatives to using such a technique, to lock one's soul up was not something you just did on a whim for fun so it was understandable why they only used it for the direst of situations.

" _Do you remember when I was explaining to you the reason why your power was completely uncontrollable back in the Muken?_ ' he paused briefly to wait for Ichigo to nod his head, ' _Good, now imagine once more that your soul is a dam and then put a lid on top of it to completely close it off, with that image in mind I want you to think of this; A Shinigami in a dire situation, low on reiatsu and potentially heavily wounded closes of their soul in an attempt to trick their pursuer into believing they have died so that they may attempt an escape to safety. However, being low on reiatsu doesn't mean completely exhausted, what would happen to the reiatsu still swirling around in that closed off soul?_

 _The answer to that is what makes this technique such a gamble. The remaining reiatsu slowly seeps into the gap between your soul and the lid containing it melding the two permanently together. Now, what would happen to a soul like yours which is brimming with reiatsu if one attempted to temporarily close it off? There is no telling how quickly that lid would meld itself completely closed._ "

The Zanpakuto had to say no more, ' _ridiculous would be an understatement,_ ' Ichigo could understand why Ryujin hadn't wanted to even bring it up, to use such a technique and risk losing access to one's powers all just for the purpose of having a fair spar.. ' _What kind of idiot would do that?_ '

With no hesitation, the one he was bound to answered the question, " _You would._ "

The teen's chest puffed out with indignation at the suggestion, ' _I'm not_ that _reckless.. I'm not!_ ' he repeated when no response was given, ' _..Okay fine, I am._ ' he finally mumbled out when it was clear that no one else agreed with his statement.

A heavy sigh filled with unease escaped the most powerful Zanpakuto, he would do it if that was what Ichigo wished but it was risky, very risky. He didn't understand how Zangetsu managed to stay sane after working with this kid for so long, perhaps he got used to it and hopefully, Ryujin would too. " _I could give you_ maybe _an hour, even that is pushing it.. I will need to be focused solely on stopping your reiatsu from binding the seal so it will be up to you to break your soul back open when the time comes._ "

' _.. do it._ '

* * *

~ In the main hall with Rias

Things were going wonderfully for the Crimson-Haired Ruin Princess, she could tell pretty quickly that under his brash and cold exterior there was a warm heart that cared for others, you could see it in the way he acted. He never shrugged anyone off, whenever someone actually got the courage to speak to him he would speak back, not just give short and uncaring replies. Whenever someone needed help be it picking something up, needing help carrying something heavy or aiding in cleaning he just did it, without a word he would just step in and help, he was genuine in his own way.

And so when the opportunity came to box him into fighting she just had to take it, she knew he wouldn't refuse if he seen the girls get excited for it so she laid the trap and let it fall into place, sure it was cunning and wrong but she _was_ a Devil after all.

As if on his acceptance to duel the girls it was as if a broadcast had been sent out to the school because the risers in the arena had already filled with mostly girls but there were some boys who probably had less than noble reasons of being here. This would be the perfect chance for them to do some ogling and not get beat with Shinai's.

Her peerage was, of course, all present and there was a good chance that Sona would eventually show up well. When the battle permits it you always try and match yourself up with the enemy who you have the best chance of winning against so Kiba was particularly interested in this as the sole swordsman of her peerage. When Ichigo announced that he was practising Kendo it automatically put the transfer student on his list of potential future enemies so right now Kiba would watch him closely and determine the level of swordsmanship he was up against.

As the moments passed Rias was honestly getting a little suspicious, he was taking quite a long time in the change rooms and his energy kept fluctuating ever so slightly which was odd because until now whenever in his presence his energy never had so much as flickered once, it was always perfectly smooth. The only guess she could make at this point was that he was attempting to use some sort of spell without alerting them all, for what reason she couldn't say.

Letting a few more seconds pass she almost wanted to take a step back from shock when his energy just vanished, like a snap of the finger one second it was there and the next it was gone, instantly her eyes met those of Akeno's who looked just as puzzled as her. She bit her lip in frustration as her mind worked, even when someone passed away their energy didn't just vanish so quickly. To only further show how absurd the phenomenon was Sona followed by the Student Council came briskly through the door her eyes screaming ' _what the hell just happened?!_ '

But before an answer could be given as smooth as ever Ichigo came gliding out of the changing rooms dressed in full gear, his Shinai held in his left hand in a 'sheathed' position and his Men hanging in his right hand at his side. All eyes immediately went to him including hers and for the briefest instant their gazes met, there was a playful sort of mockery in his heavy stare almost as if he was saying ' _did you really think you had won this?_ ' truthfully it made her bristle with frustration.

* * *

~ With Ichigo in the changing rooms

He would admit panic took over for a moment when the change first occurred, it felt like he was back to his former self after the winter war had finished, powerless. If he had to describe being a Shinigami he would use the word weightless, or maybe like everyone and everything except for him was moving in slow motion. You're so agile, you can run so fast, jump so high, lift heavy things like its nothing, your senses are heightened to a level much higher than that of a normal human and of course you get the extra ability to sense the energy of all living things. Now though it felt as if his body was in slow motion and everything around him had been sped up, that coupled with the fact that he could no longer sense any spiritual beings left him feeling very vulnerable.

' _Lets get this over with quickly,_ ' he mused as he went to the door, time was already short. As he reached for the handle and actually left his thoughts he noticed that it had gotten quite a lot louder outside, it didn't take a genius to figure out the cause for such noise in this situation and his assumptions were affirmed when the chatty crowd all turned their gazes to him.

Ignoring all of them however Ichigo was only looking for one set of eyes, the blue eyes of the Devil that put him into this situation, as soon as their gaze's met her confusion was made apparent and that look alone made up for everything she was currently putting him through. He couldn't just leave it at that though and thus let a little smugness seep into his expression, now while he was enjoying some good Kendo spars she would be wracking her brain about what the hell happened.

As he strode over to the outside of the centre most arena where Murayama awaited he put on the Men which had been hanging in his right hand, upon stepping foot into the arena where Murayama awaited opposite him the Dojo fell silent in anticipation. Standing in Shizentai Murayama and Ichigo leant forwards in a bow and as if perfectly synchronized both parties assumed Taito, took 3 large steps forwards and drew their Shinai. With their Shinai's poised and the tip level with the opponent's throat finally they both fell into the position of Sonkyo and after a couple of seconds stood back up signalling the start of the match.

* * *

~ With the two peerages

"I honestly don't know what to tell you Sona, one second everything was normal and then faster than I can blink all of his energy is just _gone_." knowingly or unknowingly the Gremory Heiress' fingers were drumming in irritation as she stood cross-armed, "I've even asked Koneko about it and there's just nothing."

Sona's own lips were pursed as she stood, first the mysterious interruption during the duel between Rias and the two exorcists and now a phenomenon like this. She'd never heard of the ability to completely erase one's magical presence, at least not without the aid of a magical device and both her and Rias were sure that none were currently in use. 'c _ircle-less casting and an ability to appear human._ ' both frighteningly powerful abilities in their own right and both having appeared within the last couple weeks, was it a coincidence that these things began happening when the new transfer arrived? She couldn't say.

"It doesn't make sense why he'd use such an ability now of all times as we already know he is a part of the supernatural, it would have been more prudent to use such a technique from the very beginning if he wanted to try and hide." the Student Council President finally responded.

"Perhaps it is taxing to use or it has some sort of negative side effect?"

Nodding her head at Tsubaki's words Sona's brow creased further, "That would be the most logical reason, but it still leaves the question of why now of all times."

Kiba who had been silently watching the match with great interest broke his silence and offered up a far less sinister reason than any of them were expecting, "He did it out of respect for his opponent."

".. out of respect?" Rias deadpanned.

"Yes, he likely didn't want to compete in the first place because of the advantage he had as a supernatural being, his body and senses are heightened far more than a normal human, it simply wouldn't be fair."

"But to suppress one's magical signature wouldn't change the fact that his body is enhanced, to even the playing field he would need to become human again.." as the words left Akeno's mouth her eyes widened at the implications.

Sona immediately shook her head, unwilling to accept such a thing, "No, as far as I know there is no technique in existence that allows you to become mortal, and even if there was why would you use it just to level the field in a couple of Kendo matches, that's ridiculous."

Once more Kiba stepped in as the voice of reason, "I don't think he became human completely but the evidence is there to support the theory that he's somehow sort of blocked his bodies ability to draw in and harness magical energies. I know it's ridiculous sounding but after watching him fight I believe that Shinra-san's theory is correct."

That brought another confused glance from the two groups as to each of them it looked like he had been the same the entire time. Seeing that no one other than him had caught on he shook his head lightly and continued further, "He was fine during his spar with Murayama-san but I noticed when he went up against Katase-san that he was becoming more and more distracted as the match continued, even now his movements are much more hurried, like he's trying to get this over with as quickly as possible."

"So basically he doesn't have as long as he thought he had and now things are looking bad for him," the Student Council President sighed out before breaking from the group and heading towards Ichigo who was currently giving some instructions to the newer students. Murayama and Katase were both incredibly talented but Ichigo had completely dominated them and if what Kiba said was true he basically did it on autopilot versus Katase at least which made it even more impressive. At least the two of them didn't look discouraged by the loss, instead, they immediately began asking him to join the club and teach them.

Honestly, Sona had rather liked the new transfer from what she'd experienced about him so far, he was a no-nonsense kind of guy who wasn't controlled by his libido unlike most of the other male students. He was intelligent, skilled in combat if this was anything to go by and he was quick-witted, for Sona there wasn't really much not to like about him. Yes it was a shame that he could be a potential enemy but she would hope for the best, innocent until proven guilty, right?

"Kurosaki-san?" she piped up from behind the crowd, ignoring the annoyed looks from the group at losing the attention of their Sensei. Seeing that his attention was on her she continued, "We've just received a call from your home and it seems that your presence is required immediately, they wouldn't say what for, however."

' _Quick witted_ sometimes _it would seem,_ ' The girl resisted the urge to roll her eyes as the transfer student looked at her like he had no idea what she was talking about, ' _Well at least I know that backstory_ is _fake now,_ ' that was one positive from all of this it seemed. Adjusting her glasses she watched half amused when his eyes finally widened briefly at the realization of what she was doing and the implications it held.

"Thanks for the heads up, I'll get going now then," he spoke genuinely before turning back to the girls of the Kendo club.

Sona nodded once herself and began back towards the group of Devil's which she came from, each one surprised at the actions she took, they all knew he could be a potential enemy and so for her of all people to help him like that was surprising, well there were two exceptions, Saji wasn't looking at her and instead was choosing to glare jealously at the transfer student and Issei was comforting him, ' _oh brother.._ '

* * *

~ With Ichigo

The first spar against Murayama had been really fun, it was nice not to worry about crazy supernatural power's and abilities or over the top attacks, just simple swordsmanship. He had beat her pretty badly however it wasn't just to prove he was better, he knew firsthand that to reach the next level you couldn't be complacent, but to break out of that complacency you need to suffer a loss, one that shows you that you're nowhere near the top yet and that you have a long way to go. It was for that reason that he went all out and gave her such a one-sided thrashing. He was pleased to see that it didn't dishearten her but instead lit a new fire within her to grow stronger and to further improve herself.

Katase was much of the same, she just like Murayama was incredibly talented but had become complacent due to their continued success so he gave her the same treatment. Unfortunately, he couldn't enjoy this one like he could the first because he could tell really quickly that the hour time limit Ryujin had suggested was way off the mark, it hadn't even been half an hour and already he could feel his inner world growing dimmer and dimmer.

He really wanted to call it right there, he did what he said he would and had a match with the two girls and now it was time to reverse his stupidity and re-open his soul, or so he wanted. It seemed that the other members of the Kendo club weren't through yet with 'Kurosaki-sensei' and they had now dubbed him much to his chagrin, then _she_ came.

Sona Sitri, or Souna Shitori as she went by in the human world, ' _how creative,_ ' She alerted him that his family who was currently in another parallel to his own had called Kuoh Academy saying his presence was required immediately at home. It was one of his slower moments he would admit, it took him a good few seconds for what she said to actually click into his mind and for him to realize that Sona had just saved his ass.

So with an escape route secured he thanked her genuinely and turned towards his 'students.' "It's unfortunate but you heard her," he began, earning a chorus of disappointed aw's from around him, it looked like each of them wanted to argue and try and convince him to stay and he really didn't want to disappoint any of them so he threw on a small smile and said the one thing that he knew would placate them, "I'll come back again sometime soon, this was fun."

It really _was_ fun, did he actually want to come back? That was a tough one to say. He didn't really care for all of the female attention and he wasn't much of a teacher so while the sparring was nice he knew that every time he did return it would just turn into a 'please help me now, please help me now' sort of thing which he wasn't really looking forward too.

Changing back into his school uniform he walked briskly through the halls towards the exit, fast enough to cover more ground quickly but not fast enough to make it look like he was trying to run away. Once he had left the building and knew for certain he was out of eyesight his pace did change and he broke out into a sprint. His destination was somewhere on the outskirts of town in the surrounding forested area and not his home for the simple fact that he had no clue what would happen once he broke through to his reiryoku again.

There was a high chance that once he broke through a large release of reiatsu would occur which would be bad to do in the city for a couple of reasons. The main one being that it isn't safe to expose regular humans with an average amount of reiryoku to high doses of reiatsu under any circumstances, the second reason being the fact that he could potentially become an arsonist. While doing his training in Takama-ga-hara he'd already experienced many time's the surrounding area's catching on fire due to the nature of his reiryoku and being in the human world was no different, there was an all too real possibility that he could set some buildings ablaze right now and he'd like to avoid such a situation if at all possible.

* * *

~ Kendo Club, with Koneko

It was only just a few hours ago that she'd been given the task of monitoring the new transfer student by her master and so even if this hadn't turned into such a school-wide spectacle she would've been present. This was her second time now being given the task of observation and this time unlike the first she could actually say she was interested in the target. She hated perverted things, there was no mistaking that and so when she was told that one of the perverted trio may possess a sacred gear and that it was her job to confirm or deny it her mood understandably soured. As it turned out one of them _did_ , and he possessed the Boosted Gear, one of the thirteen Longinus no less just to rub it in her face.

In the end, he was reincarnated and added to their family and Koneko was forced to get to know him at least a little bit due to that but thankfully it turned out her Senpai wasn't so bad after all. He was kind, hardworking and bull-headed to a fault when it came to helping his friends but even so, the perversion was just too much, when your power and techniques are based on the strength of your libido then you know you have a problem.

Hell, she still resisted the urge to strangle him when their battle with the two exorcists was brought up because it reminded her of how close she was to getting stripped naked before the beast's eyes. The new transfer was different to the other male students at their school though, his eyes never strayed lower than a girls chin, and when he did speak it wasn't only about boobs or porn.

He was fascinating to the young Nekomata because no matter how much she racked her brain she couldn't figure out the smallest clue as to what he was. No matter how much she hated her heritage and feared her powers because of what they turned her sister into and what she did because of them she still prided herself on her ability to read people's energy and emotions, that's what she had always been good at yet with him she had nothing, he was an enigma and so he interested her.

As always she stayed silent and observed while the spars went on, partially listening to the conversation between her master and her best friend but mostly focusing on the energy of the new transfer or lack thereof. What Kiba had suggested was correct, he had managed to seal off his bodies ability to take in the energies around them and disperse it through their bodies. He felt like a muted star which grew dimmer with every beat of his heart, Koneko didn't want to guess what would happen when that light fully faded.

Seeing him walk through the door and out of the hall thanks to the unexpected intervention by the student council president the lithe girl gave her body a small stretch and glanced in the direction of her master who was already looking expectantly at her, with a simple nod of her head she turned and headed for the door herself. She was in no rush even when she noted that her new Senpai was nowhere in sight, his scent was still strongly lingering in the air and tracking him down would be easy.

* * *

~ With Ichigo

Asides from getting some odd looks from people around him as he sprinted throughout the town he'd made it to his destination with little to no distraction, but now that he was there and sitting in a meditative position for Jinzen he hadn't the slightest clue of what to do. The Shinigami admonished himself mentally with a deep sigh and a shake of his head, yes he had gotten better at not being so stupid but it seemed he wasn't fully cured yet, it wasn't so much that he went along with it in the first place but at his lack of foresight to learn more about how to break through once again after all was said and done.

Then again knowing Ryujin Jakka any questions he might have had on the subject would have probably been met with a response along the lines of ' _if you can't figure it out yourself then you aren't worthy of wielding the power at all._ '

Ignoring that distracting thought he focused back inwards towards his increasingly frustrating problem on hand, it wasn't that he couldn't find his inner world, it was just as easy to find as it ever had been however there was quite literally a barrier blocking him from entering. The best way to describe it was like putting a flame inside of a glass ball, the flame was where he needed to get to but no matter how much he searched around the globe he couldn't find any cracks in it to squeeze through.

Sighing in frustration for the umpteenth time he opened his eyes and leaned back using his arms as braces so he could gaze upwards, what he didn't expect to see however was a head of white hair and a pair of golden, feline-like eyes staring back down at him.

* * *

~ A/N:

 **So there's chapter 10 finally, I'm sorry it took so long.**

 **So, where the heck have I been? There isn't really a complicated answer. I've said it before so I won't go into too much detail but the ending of Bleach really killed a lot of the passion I had for the series and writing fanfiction for it. Honestly, the only thing that's kept me going this whole time was reading other great stories like 'Do Me A Wrong,' however, as I'm sure you all know that story hasn't been updated in like half a year now. More so, all the other stories I followed for motivation have all been abandoned too and so I just haven't really had the drive to sit down and write myself.**

 **Also, I've just honestly gotten a little burnt out of GOTD at this point. Now before you freak out no I'm not abandoning this story and no I'm not putting it on hiatus, I will still be writing it. I guess if I had to explain how I feel I'd say I want to do something more. I love GOTD and what I've created so far but really it isn't anything groundbreaking, Ichigo is with the Shinto and wields Ryujin Jakka instead of Zangetsu, not really anything crazy there.**

 **Quite simply I want to write something unique and new but it's easier said than done. Anyways that's enough of that, like I said this story isn't on hiatus, nor is it abandoned and I am still writing it, so yeah.**

 **If you have any thoughts on the chapter than feel free to leave a review, I'm always looking to improve my writing and so constructive feedback is appreciated. If you have any questions then feel free to message me, I always reply when I can.**

 **\- Vertius**


	11. Chapter 11

**Hey! I'm back with Chapter 11. Sorry to all the people who thought I uploaded this earlier but were disappointed to see it was only an A/N. I didn't really want to post it but I wasn't sure how long it would take to get this chapter out still and figured it would be best to just post the A/N for a couple of days. But who cares about any of that now right? Also, just so everyone knows I sort of remastered Chapters 1-10, you won't miss anything if you don't re-read them but I improved their quality quite a bit.  
**

 **I don't know if there will be a notification pushed out for this chapter since I technically already uploaded a Chapter 11 so if you're browsing fanfiction and you see that this story was updated but you didn't get an alert don't worry, it wasn't just you.**

 **Also, a quick message to any other writers out there who are reading this story! Recently I was informed of a bug/glitch on fanfiction which is causing people to lose their stories, so with that being said make sure you back up all of your chapters!**

 **Anyways, with that said, please enjoy Chapter 11!**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own Bleach, Highschool DXD, nor any of their respective characters.**

* * *

Guardian of the Dead

\- Chapter 11 -

Ichigo wasn't mad that she was spying on him, he had a feeling that it might come to this from the start, and if it had to be any of them then he was glad it was the small Nekomata. Yes, he definitely wanted to help all of the Devil's who had been lied to eventually but none more so than the girl stood above him right now. As someone with two little sisters of his own he just couldn't stand the thought of knowing she had been turned away from her only family left in this world, and all because of selfish lies. It made his blood boil just thinking about it.

He couldn't just come out and say it though, hell, there was a high chance the Devil's wouldn't even believe him if he did! But, if they did, and then took the next step of confronting Rias about it then it would create a whole headache of drama that he wasn't prepared to deal with right now, politically or physically.

So the whole 'you've been deceived your whole life' revelations would, unfortunately, have to wait a while, but the truth would come out, he would make certain of it. Bringing his attention back to the sole Rook of Rias' peerage he noted that she looked as uncaring as ever, even in the wake of getting caught her emotionless expression held firm. "Yo, got a nice view from up there?" he finally called out, throwing his arm up in a lazy wave.

With no hesitation she nodded, humming an affirmation to the question.

When she made no attempt to further expand on that response Ichigo huffed out with an amused sort of half grin. It was odd, he barely knew her, and the little he did know had been told by someone else, moreover, this was the first time he'd actually talked to her if you could even call it a conversation, yet he found it incredibly difficult not to like her. It felt as if he was in the presence of a quieter, less-expressive Yuzu.

"So, you going to come down from there? I don't bite," Ichigo mused, tone light and teasing. As he watched her weigh her options a curious question came to his mind. He would've assumed that it would be uncomfortable standing in a tree as she was, however.. ' _If she's a Nekomata than maybe it's actually comfortable for her?_ ' with that thought an image of her trying to curl up on a branch entered his mind and no matter how petite the girl was he just couldn't picture it ever working.

A rustling of leaves followed closely by the scraping of gravel under feet told him that she'd taken his word and hopped down. Tilting his head back further he noted that she was only a couple feet away now, crouched down with her arms wrapped around her legs.

"What are you?" She asked flatly.

Ichigo's face slid into deadpan at the bluntness of her question, "Not wasting any time, huh?" sighing lightly he gave a small shake of his head in a sort of mock exasperation, "That I can't say just yet. I'm not your enemy if that counts for anything."

Her eyelids fell slightly into an unimpressed stare at his response, how was that supposed to help her gather information? They'd already figured he probably wasn't an enemy at this point but if that lasted was yet to be seen for now though he was pretty friendly. Deciding that he wouldn't outright give up information about himself she decided to change her approach, "How much do you know about us..?"

"Mm.. a lot more than you'd probably like me to."

' _At least he has the decency to look apologetic,_ ' the white-haired Nekomata mused, carefully considering what her next question would be. She would admit that there was something she was curious about, "What do you know about me?"

Sitting upright he turned himself to face her before giving the back of his head a scratch. He didn't really see an issue with telling her what he knew, just.. he was really starting to feel like a creep the more he realized just how much he knew about them all, yet they only knew his name. "Well, I know you're a Nekomata, a Nekoshou to be exact."

That got a reaction of out the petite girl, her eyes had become uncharacteristically wide and her body had tensed, clearly that little fact wasn't very well known even amongst her peers. ' _Well, let's keep going shall we?_ " the teen thought sarcastically, only seeing this conversation ending on a bad note. He still had his own problem that _really_ needed dealing with but he didn't really want to do so in front of Koneko just for the sake of continued secrecy.

Shaking his head and sighing he continued, "I know that your real name is Shirone and that you were given to Rias Gremory after your sister killed your previous master.." As soon as those words left his mouth his instincts screamed out to him to move, and so he did. Pushing all the strength he could into his legs he flung himself backwards, flipping and landing in a crouched position.

He just had time to make out the crater in the ground where he had just sat before immediately throwing up his hand to catch the small girls dainty fist, or at least attempt to. As soon as they made contact the bones in his hand shattered and his wrist snapped backwards, the force was so great that the radius and ulna bones in his right arm fractured and splintered all the way up to his elbow.

The pain was intense, he'd forgotten what it was like to be human, to be so frail. He wanted to scream out but managed to keep his voice suppressed to a muffled cry.

Opposite of him, the hazel eyes which had just been filled with rage and sorrow at the sudden mention of her sister fell to softness and fear once she'd realized what she'd done to her new Senpai. She could feel a bit of panic starting to form as she wondered what happened, ' _I shouldn't have hurt him like that, what happened to his strength?!_ ' her peerage along with Sona's had already come to the conclusion that he'd somehow blocked his bodies ability to draw in and use energy but it shouldn't have affected his durability!

In theory, it was possible for a supernatural being to suppress their powers, as well as their enhanced strength and senses to a more normal degree, each of the Devils in Kuoh Academy did as much so as not to stand out too much. But even still, lowing your strength and muting your senses didn't change the fact that you were a being of the supernatural, with a much higher durability and healing ability than a normal human. No matter what the transfer had done to himself in the Kendo club it shouldn't have affected him like this.

A sharp hiss from the crouched teen drew her gaze back up, though she was further startled by the state he was in. He was ghostly pale with softly glistening skin from the layer of sweat that was quickly forming. His golden-brown eyes which contrasted beautifully with his shocking orange hair had lost some of their radiance as he sat hunched over with laboured breaths.

Tentatively her hand stretched out to him but she did not make contact, instead, her voice crept out barely above a whisper, "Wh- What's happening to you?"

Slowly his eyes lifted to meet hers, an expression of gratitude for her concern being conveyed sincerely, "Ah.. just the after-effects of my.. stupidity.." It was a struggle to speak, desperately he was clawing at the glass dome which surrounded his soul but it would not crack. He honestly didn't know what the hell was happening to him, Ryujin hadn't mentioned anything like this. Then again, he also hadn't the foresight to ask.

"What did you do?" she further pressed, she didn't know why she was asking as she probably wouldn't be able to do anything for him, and as harsh as it was nor should she. Yes, he seemed nice, from the small interactions they'd had she found the transfer student to be someone she felt could become very close to her possibly in the future as crazy as it sounded. But, he could also become her worst enemy and so for that reason alone she should've just stood back and watched, but she couldn't stop herself.

In response he let out a pained huff of air which sounded more like a mockery of laughter than anything, "In order to keep the matches fair I sealed off my bodies ability to take in and distribute energies to my body," he was forced to pause as a sense of lightheadedness washed over him, as the world continued to spin he let himself fall closer to the earth, "I don't know what would happen for you if you did that, but for me, it made me human again."

' _Human again?!_ ' how was such a thing even possible? Even when it came to reincarnated Devils like herself such a concept had never even been considered. Reincarnation was like a rebirth, how could someone just reverse it? Now, more than ever she wanted to know more about him, what he was. A being that can cast of its supernatural status and then reclaim it again on a whim was a ludicrous idea to consider. ' _And all of it just for a fair match?_ ' The ridiculousness of the situation was reminding her far too much of Issei-senpai and his stubbornness at the most random of things.

"You really are stupid Senpai.."

No matter how shit he felt Ichigo couldn't stop the burst of laughter from escaping him, to be admonished by her in that flat tone was just too much, "Ah, you don't need to tell me.. if only I had the hindsight.. to figure out.. how.. to reverse this.." With slow breaths the teen barely managed to finish his last sentence before unconsciousness took over.

The Nekomata was at a crossroads. On one hand, she knew her Master would get mad at her for helping him, he was a potential enemy and you don't save potential enemies, but she just couldn't see him as bad. Anyone who would go to such stupid, ridiculous lengths just to have a fair Kendo match couldn't be evil, stupid yes, but not evil.

The biggest issue right now was that even if she was going to help him, she had no clue how to do so, and with his current state fishing for clues wouldn't be possible. In an uncharacteristic show of frustration for her, she sighed heavily and glared at the prone teen. Scooting forwards another couple feet she knelt at his side, closed her eyes, and placed her palms flat on his back.

It didn't take too long for her to find what she assumed she was looking for, a single flame in an otherwise endless darkness surrounded by an orb of glass, this had to be it. Mentally she reached out towards the sphere, though the closer she got the more she wanted to turn away.

Going against her better judgment she ignored her instincts and pushed onward, firmly grasping the small orb in the palms of her hands. Her body stilled on contact, frozen in place as an unimaginable warmth crawled over her body, a blistering heat which felt as if it would melt her skin away at any second. Phantom sensation or not she couldn't keep the tears from welling up, she had never felt something so painful in her life, so terrifying, yet she couldn't pull away, or rather something, or _someone_ , wouldn't let her.

Appearing in a flash of flame standing tall and proud while emanating a power unlike any she'd felt before was a figure the young Nekomata would associate with a demon of fire. It was fairly human in shape, made of molten rock and ash, with an eerie red glow seeping from its joints and the myriad of what appeared to be cuts littered all over its body. It had no mouth, nose or ears, just two large horns on each side of its head, both decorated with glowing cracks of red and orange, much like the rest of its body. The most offsetting feature it possessed were the two red-slitted eyes glowing crimson like the strongest of fires.

The being studied her closely, the fiery eyes painting heated lines along her skin before meeting her gaze head-on once more. " _To connect with his soul directly, without hesitation, I don't know if you are brave or just stupid._ " the being called out, voice firm, powerful, " _but he seems to trust you a great deal and thus so shall I, I merely hope you aren't too late._ "

And with those words he was gone just as he'd come. Koneko assumed that by 'he,' the being was referring to Kurosaki-senpai. It made her happy to know that he apparently trusted her, though who that figure was and why he knew what Ichigo thought or felt was still unknown. One positive in all this was that as soon as the figure had left she'd been given access to her body once more and the searing heat had faded in exchange for a much more comfortable warmth.

Focusing again she once more grasped the sphere tightly in her hands, using her heightened senses to try and get a feel for any weaknesses it may have had. After a moment of prodding the object, she could only stare down in confusion at what she now felt. It was odd, when she had first grasped it, it felt so solid, so indestructible, like nothing could ever scratch its smooth surface, but now it felt oh so fragile.

And sure enough, as soon as she put more strength into her fingers the first spiderweb-like cracks began crawling along its surface.

* * *

As if a volt of electricity was sent racing through his veins he jolted awake from his involuntarily unconscious state. With his one still good hand clawing at the earth his eyes snapped open, vision slightly blurred. Greedily he took in deep breaths, his lungs desperate for the air around him. It took him a moment of steady breathing, just focusing on the rapid expanding and contracting of his lungs for his mind to settle and his sense to return.

Thankfully his reiatsu was once again surging deep within his soul and Ryujin Jakka's steady presence could be felt. Ichigo could sense that the spirit was in a slightly foul mood for reasons which weren't too hard to guess and so he would make sure they had a good chat later on. The ground under him was charred and a lingering smell of ash wafted through the air, and as he guessed would happen the plant life around him took a bit of damage but nothing too bad. He hadn't started a forest fire or burnt down any buildings so he would consider it a success.

Catching glimpse of a shoe in the corner of his eye if felt like his head had been dunked in water and clarity returned. It was a completely subconscious action as he stood up, perfectly separating the Hollow reiatsu within himself and pushing it through his right arm all the way to the tips of his fingers, it was a show of how far his training had come to be able to regenerate and heal his arm so quickly but the celebration would be saved for later.

' _Koneko!_ ' he shouted internally, dashing across the clearing to the unconscious girl who sat hunched against a tree. Parts of her clothing had been burnt, the edges were slightly singed and a light dusting of ash tainted her pale skin but other than that she seemed alright, much to the relief of the Shinigami.

The fact that she appeared alright didn't change the guilt welling up inside of him, however. He knew what she did for him, yes he was unconscious but it was much like what happened when Zangetsu took over on the roof of Las Noches, he was still mildly aware of what was going on around and within himself, and he knew that without her he would've been screwed.

The most shocking thing of it all was that fact that she could do what she did in the first place, he'd never heard of anyone being able to interact with a Shinigami's soul other than the Shinigami themselves. Perhaps it was something unique to the Nekomata? He couldn't say, there was still so much he didn't know about them.

* * *

Eyes softly fluttering open she couldn't help the small groan of displeasure that escaped her lips when the soreness of her body made itself known. It was to be expected though. When the glass dome shattered her mind was ejected and the sudden release of power from her unconscious Senpai created a pulse of energy which collided against her none too lightly, sending her flying backwards into a tree. Thank goodness for her supernatural durability.

Shifting her gaze upwards she was met with the worried and guilty stare from her upperclassmen who was knelt only a couple feet away. To her relief he looked perfectly fine, his eyes were back to their normal colour, his skin was no longer pale, and once again it felt as if an ocean was hovering right above their heads ready to crush her at any moment.

Seeing him tentatively reach a hand out before pausing and drawing it back she noted one absurd fact, his hand and arm were perfectly back to normal. Just what kind of monster was he? Even for a strong Devil, such injuries would take at minimum a couple days to heal, especially his hand, she'd pretty much turned his bones to dust!

Ichigo obviously noticed her shocked stare directed at his arm and thus with a sheepish expression gave the oh so intelligent reply of, "uh, I guess you could say I have some pretty powerful regeneration," while awkwardly scratching the back of his head. He wanted to laugh when her expression fell flat at his statement, and in any other situation he would've, but right now wasn't the time.

"I have to thank you Toujou-san, if not for you I would be a human right now and locked away from my powers. You barely know anything about me, what I am or who I'm affiliated with, yet you still put yourself in a potentially harmful situation just to try and help me, and for that I am forever grateful.

It's also because of this, that I have to say I'm sorry," he continued, eyes falling downcast. "I dragged you into my situation and because of my stupidity you did end up getting hurt, so for that I'm truly sorry," he finished, head slightly bowed.

As soon as he finished apologizing the small Devil wanted to dismiss it, not because she didn't value the apology, but more that she wasn't bothered in the first place by what happened. And so, "It's alright, we're even now," she replied simply, drawing a displeased frown from the older teen. She hadn't thought that he would accept it so easily.

Just as he was about to respond, no doubt with the intention of trying to re-explain to her why things weren't 'even' between the two she deftly rose her hand and flicked him dead centre of his forehead, much to her amusement and his shock.

"O-Oi! What was that for?!"

"Because Senpai is stupid."

"Wha-?!"

"I told you it's okay, I hurt Senpai's arm earlier and now this happened, we're even," she finished in a candid, matter-of-fact tone that left no room for debate.

' _Well she has a point.._ ' he finally conceded, "But even so! I still need to thank you for helping me at the very least!"

On one hand the small Nekomata wanted to flick her Senpai in the forehead again for his persistence, but on the other hand, she did realize when a good opportunity presented itself. So, with a glint of mischief in her eye, she took advantage of Ichigo's sense of justice to get a little information, "What are you, Kurosaki-senpai? Tell me that and we're even."

Ichigo's face turned sour at words, ' _Maybe I should have just dropped it.._ '

" _Hmph, you reap what you sow Ichigo,_ " Ryujin Jakka cut in, " _But truthfully I don't think it would be bad to extend some trust to the girl, you just might be surprised how that trust is repaid later down the road._ "

The Shinigami didn't disagree. Although.. ' _When did you grow so soft? Usually your the loudest preacher of seclusion and keeping our secrets hidden, just what_ _exactly_ _happened while I was unconscious?_ '

" _It doesn't matter right now, let's save that discussion for a later date, instead, focus on the Nekomata._ " And with that the connection was cut and the conversation over, Ichigo would have no chance for argument right now.

Outwardly Ichigo just hummed to himself as he worked out how he would start. "Even if you ask that I'm not really sure how to reply," he began, quickly putting his hands up in a defensive manner when he noticed the girls face fall into an annoyed, unimpressed stare. "I'm not trying to get out of it again, I just really don't know how to answer. I'm a hybrid of a few different races, but honestly, I find it hard to really label myself as any of them because I never fully fit in with them.

Yeah, I was a part of them to a certain extent but because of my hybrid status I was always an outcast to some degree. I never truly fit in anywhere, with anyone, even if they likely wouldn't admit it. I've always just seen myself as human, not any of my supernatural labels."

Koneko's expression softened upon hearing his words, she could kind of understand where he was coming from and how he felt, especially when she thought back to the troubles Akeno-senpai faced due to her hybrid status. She respected her new Senpai for the mentality he took, ' _I've always seen myself as a human, not any of my supernatural labels,_ ' those were words she could envision herself saying proudly.

Yes, she was a hybrid herself, but she viewed herself as a human much like he did, not as a Nekomata or Devil. She enjoyed her human life and was proud to be looked upon as one. Glancing towards the darkening sky she was fully prepared to leave the conversation at that, no longer interested in hearing any more from him that he didn't wish to tell, but to her surprise he spoke up again.

"Well, I suppose me telling you that doesn't really help does it? I guess if I had to classify myself as something, it would be a Shinigami." He didn't pick Shinigami because he was ashamed of being Hollow or Quincy, not at all, he simply picked it because he figured that would be the only one she would have ever heard of and it would give her, and her master, something to satisfy their curiosity.

The petite girl startled slightly at his words, of all the things she could have guessed he would say, she would never have thought Shinigami, that one word could change everything. When she heard the word Shinigami, 'Death God,' she immediately was reminded of the figures in black robes from legends carrying around scythes, the 'Grim Reapers.' As much as she hated the possibility of it all, it just made far too much sense.

He felt like something they never experienced before, and while she didn't feel threatened by him personally she would admit his energy felt sort of.. dark, being a reaper would explain the ominous feeling he gave off. Also, he did just admit that he was a hybrid which would explain why he was in Kuoh of all places, she'd never heard of Hades allowing Grim Reapers to walk around as they pleased, at least not pure-blooded ones.

But the timing of his arrival, right as the Excalibur fragments had been stolen and tensions were rising between the three factions, why was he sent here now of all times, what possible interest could Hades, a Greek God who sits among the top ten strongest in this world no less have in all of this? She wasn't so sure she wanted to know.

* * *

~ Unknown Location, Unknown Time

"Amaterasu? What a surprise seeing you here.. I'm truly amazed that Hades would allow you passage."

With a proud and haughty demeanour, the Goddess of the Sun shifted her stance so that her gaze could fall onto the sole other existence in the atramentous world around them. "Hmph, it was easy to convince him, even a man as devious as he understands the threat you could pose should you manage to break free from here.

A slight hum reverberated around the head of the Shinto Trinity as the unknown existence pondered her words. Then, with a deep, powerful and somewhat ethereal voice which would make you question if he was actually there or not he spoke again. "Perhaps, but could it not also be the fact that you could erase him from existence on but a whim that keeps him so willing to cooperate with you?"

When Amaterasu made no attempt at responding to his suggestion he continued, "Ah.. such a frightening thought, to be able to kill a God as powerful as Hades as if you were swatting down a small fly. Though I suppose it's too be expected when you imprison another God and take his powers for your own," those last words were slightly spat out towards the Goddess, a hint of bitterness underlying his breath.

The head of the Shinto Trinity, of course, picked up on this fact and thus made sure to lace her words with every bit of arrogance that she could muster, "Oh come now, I do hope you aren't still holding a grudge about that old incident, it happened millennia ago!" Pausing briefly she let her tone drop, this time sounding much colder and menacing, "And we both know that if I hadn't acted first and sealed you, you would have done the same thing to me.. and, for the sake of this world's peace you know I couldn't allow that to happen."

With the cheesiest voice he could muster he replied, "Oh don't be silly, that's water under the bridge! I got over it centuries ago."

The Goddess hummed thoughtfully at his words, "You say that but your voice sounds like you want to strangle me right now," She quipped back hoping that it would elicit a reaction from the bound God.

Ignoring her petty attempts to anger him he let his friendly facade fall and gave his own attempt at pulling a response from her, "So, to what honour do I owe this visit?"

Unlike her, his attempt succeeded. As if a switch had been turned her face fell into a snarl and she spun to face him head-on, "Don't give me that, you are a fool if you believe I'm unaware of your tampering," she spat with venom, "The majority of your powers may be gone but a God is not rendered useless so easily."

Though physically unable to see him she could still vividly picture the smug grin etched across his featureless face, "I want to know why you did it," she continued in a low tone, "what are you planning?!"

In an attempt to further anger the Goddess he merely let out a sigh of boredom at her query, making no move to actually respond. "So how have things in Takama-ga-hara been? I trust Tsukuyomi and Susanoo are doing well? And, what about your Shinigami? Did they ever manage to get their heads out of their asses or is pride still ruling them?"

Amaterasu knew what he was trying to do. When the God before her wasn't trying to slaughter the innocent or destroy the world his favourite pass time was seeing how angry he could make her. But she had grown since then, that and her experience with Ichigo had just made her far too happy to let this fool get to her. "Tsukuyomi and Susanoo are fine, as is Takama-ga-hara. My Shinigami are improving.. slowly."

"Shigekuni always was a stickler for tradition, eh? It's quite impressive that Ichigo Kurosaki was able to break through to that old man of all people."

"Indeed," she replied curtly, not making any move to expand on her thoughts.

With a slight hint of resignation the unknown God sighed, "Oh fine, I'm not planning anything with the boy, are you happy now?"

"Hmph, as if, you expect me to believe that?"

"Oh for the love of- Yes, I will admit that it was out of character for me to actually save someone for once but even _I_ can grow interested in things sometimes, the boy has led an interesting life thus far with many unlikely accomplishments in that short amount of time, can you really blame me for wanted to see what he could do in the future? It's not like there's much else to do down here anyway."

The empty space stayed quiet for a couple moments as the Goddess of the Sun mulled over the words spoken by the sealed God, she didn't trust him, not in the slightest, but that would have to do for now. "Hm, very well, for your sake I hope that's all it is," she finished before turning on her heel and walking away, not even flinching when she heard a friendly call of ' _come visit me again soon._ '

* * *

~ Underworld

Her journey back up the river Styx had been just as unpleasant as the first, being glad to be back in the underworld was not a thought she ever imagined herself having and yet here she was. Cerberus was as repulsive as ever, growling and flinging drool at anything which moved, the beast was lucky it hadn't got any on her or else it may not have been a three-headed hell hound anymore. As good of a guard dog it may have been, Amaterasu didn't know how Hades managed to put up with it.

Speaking of the man, he stood tall by the diamond gate that led to his kingdom, a look of distaste present as he stared in her direction. His disgust for all other races and Pantheons was well noted so she didn't let it bother her too much.

With a stern and dignified tone, he called out to her, "I hope your visit was fruitful?"

"As much as it could be, you know how he is."

"Yes, unfortunately, I do," the God of the underworld agreed, then in a rare display of worry he posed the question that no doubt many of the supernatural leaders were all wondering, "Are you sure those seals can really hold him forever?" Hades may not have cared if members of other races died or not, but having the whole world destroyed was not something on his okay list, that was one of the reasons he was being so co-operative with the Sun Goddess.

"Truthfully I cannot say," she began with an apologetic look, "Although he is a Shinto God, spending time in the Heavenly Planes was never his first choice, to say my knowledge on his power is lacking would be fair."

"That's what I was afraid of," he breathed out, "You didn't get a glimpse of his abilities when you took his power?"

"Only the smallest, I learned enough to be able to wield his power with moderate safety but you know as well as I do that a Gods most powerful techniques are not so easily taken. I hope that with his powers reduced to such a level the range of tasks he will be able to complete while sealed are small but.."

"But he has already defied the death of Ichigo Kurosaki so that hope is looking small."

"Indeed." She wasn't surprised that Hades knew of that, as someone who ruled over the underworld it was to be expected that he would notice when the natural laws of life and death were rejected. Amaterasu was happy he didn't seem to be bothered by it, then again he never was bad at hiding his emotions so she supposed she wouldn't know either way.

"Well, I suppose all we can do is hope." He spoke up pulling Amaterasu from her thoughts, "If you need to speak with him again then just let me know, I am willing to co-operate on this matter in the future as well.

With all the regality you would expect of someone in her position she bowed partially forwards in a show of thanks, "You have my gratitude, should you need my aid in the future don't hesitate to ask, if it is within my ability to do so than I will."

Hades himself just tiled his head forwards in understanding and with that, the conversation was over, he summoned a magic circle which would allow her to exit the underworld and he turned on the spot and began towards the gates to his kingdom.

* * *

~ ORC Clubroom, Saturday Morning

It was to no one's surprise that Rias immediately called her peerage together for a meeting the next morning, they had all felt that surge of power from the transfer student the day before and each of them were overflowing with curiosity to hear what the small Nekomata had to say from her surveillance.

The release of energy was so brief, there one second and perfectly reigned in the next, but it was so monstrous, so terrifying, the Crimson-Haired Ruin Princess wasn't sure if she'd even fully come to terms yet with the sheer magnitude of raw power that the new transfer student released the day prior.

Although they would likely have to go all out from the start Rias did believe from their very first meeting that she and Sona stood a very good chance at defeating Ichigo Kurosaki should it come down to it, but now? She shuddered at the thought of having to battle him, even if her own strength was doubled she knew she would be crushed.

It was frightening to know that someone so powerful had been casually living amongst them, a person who she knew nothing about, nothing about their affiliations or with whom their loyalties lay. He could have easily been their enemy and yet here she'd been trying to provoke him just for the fun of it ever since he'd arrived, she wanted to slap herself for the stupidity.

If only she knew just how powerful the sleeping beast she'd been trying to provoke really was.

The school's mascot Koneko Toujou, unlike her master, did have a really good picture as to what they were dealing with. Through a series of completely unexpected events, she got firsthand experience of just how massive his power really was. She could still feel the after-effects of the initial release even now, the shock wave had slammed into her like a freight train.

After thinking about it long and hard during the night she hadn't been able to come up with a single possibility as to why she was able to connect with his soul. It was something that she didn't know was possible and probably shouldn't have been even yesterday. Clearly, that mysterious figure she spoke with in that black world was somehow connected to her new Senpai and likely the reason why she was able to do what she did.

But who, or even what that spirit was completely eluded the Nekomata. Out of everything which had happened however the thing that struck her most was one specific line the spirit had said, ' _he seems to trust you greatly._ ' She was blown away when she heard that, as far as she was aware they had never met before so what would make him trust her so much? She didn't know.

Perhaps he had an innate ability to read others like she did? It was the only explanation she could think of, but in the end, he was a lot more open about himself than he really had to be. Yes she helped him regain his powers but that didn't mean he needed to say anything to her in return, yet he did, and of his own violation as well, and she did appreciate the trust he had extended towards her.

"Alright, now that everyone is here and comfortable let's get down to business," Rias began, drawing the attention of the room towards the small Nekomata who either held many answers to the question they had about their secretive new classmate or nothing at all. "Whenever you're ready Koneko, tell us what you found out."

The looks of curiosity, anticipation and mild excitement directed at her by her fellow peerage members really pulled at her. She was so close to opening her mouth and telling them about what he had really done to himself, about the poor state it left him in, cold, pale and gasping for air on the ground as he defied the laws of the supernatural and reverted back into a human. About the black world with the glass orb holding naught but a small flame, the immense pain she felt that almost took her consciousness away when she touched it.

The demon of fire which appeared before her and told her about the trust which her Senpai had in her, and that it too would place it's faith in her as well to help him regain his powers. The seemingly infinite pool of burning energy she got a glimpse of when the glass orb shattered in her hand. The fact that he was a hybrid being with a part of his race being that of Shinigami, the fact that he was likely a Grim Reaper under the command of Hades, the fact that there could be much larger things moving behind the scenes than any of them could have ever imagined.

She was so close to telling them all of that, but then his face would come into her mind. The gentle smile he directed at her, the kindness and caring held in his eyes as he gazed at her like she was a part of his family and would do anything for her. The trust that he put in her hands. And now at this moment, with her fellow peerage members- her family surrounding her, and the image of her Senpai's smiling face in her mind she will decide how that trust is repaid.

"..I'm sorry, I wasn't able to find out anything."

* * *

~ Unknown Location, Human World

"So do you think he knows what you've been up too?"

"Mm, it's hard to say, it's Azazel were talking about so I'd be more surprised if he didn't suspect at least something, but I have been careful not to let anything slip that I shouldn't."

"Well, it's not like it's suspicious for you to stay quiet, especially with your always silent mr. cool guy act you have going on," a female voice spoke out from her spot in the room, the half-hearted glare sent back her way made it only more difficult to suppress her giggles.

"Le Fay, you should be more respectful to your peers," the third male of the five-person group chastised.

"Hahah! Don't be so stiff Arthur, you knew she has a point."

"Be that as it may I'm sure Vali is quite proud of his persona, we shouldn't make fun of it," the now named Arthur responded, a small smirk on his own face as Vali's glare was now directed towards him.

After the group finished laughing at their leaders expense the original speaker brought the subject back on track, "So when are you going to reveal yourself? Surely the Vanishing Dragon has a dramatic scene planned for the moment his betrayal is revealed."

"Betrayal is such a strong word, I'd rather you call it a search for strong opponents, as for the reveal? You know I've never been one for theatrics, though I've caught word of a possible peace meeting between the three factions coming up soon, an opportunity may show itself then."

"I find it odd that there would be peace talks right now considering all the trouble Kokabiel is causing in Kuoh," Arthur murmured, more to himself than anything as he sat in a contemplative position.

With a hint of excitement in his voice, Vali responded, "Well Azazel already has a plan to deal with it, he's just waiting for him to make his move so he can clear his name with the other factions."

Le Fay having caught it rolled her eyes at the battle nut, "And I'm guessing you're the one who gets to fight him?"

"Of course, it should be exciting if Kokabiel has been keeping his combat skills up to par since the great war ended, although I'd much rather fight one of the faction leaders."

"Hahah! Typical Vali, not satisfied with one of the Vice-Governors of the Fallen Angels, most people would be happy to have a chance at fighting someone so strong, but then again you aren't the usual battle freak."

"You're one to talk Bikou, you can be just as bad as Vali sometimes, Nya," the final member of the group finally spoke up, she had been somewhat listening to their conversation but her mind was occupied with something else.

"Well well, look who finally decided to grace us with her presence," Bikou called out in a slightly haughty but joking tone.

"Bite me, Nya," was her simple response.

"So how was your visit to Kuoh, Kuroka? Is my rival progressing?"

"Of course that's the first thing you ask about," she responded with a roll of her eyes, "He's improved, though with how weak he was before it's not surprising that he would grow at least somewhat, no Balance Breaker though, Nya."

"I see, that's disappointing then."

"You should cut the guy some slack Vali, you're just freakishly strong, not everyone can get lucky with their heritage like you did."

"I agree with Bikou, if I'm not mistaken he was born to two human parents was he not?"

"That doesn't matter, he was born with one of the thirteen Longinus, the Boosted Gear no less, if he really wanted it he could gain immense power," Vali rebutted while shaking his head at Arthur's words.

"I heard he's a massive pervert though, I doubt gaining power and fighting you is on the top of his priority list Vali," Le Fay cut in with another giggle bringing a frown to his face.

"Well before you get too depressed Vali I have some information that might interest you, Nya."

"Oh? What would that be?"

All eyes had turned towards the teasing cat at her words, something that would interest Vali meant a strong opponent that he'd never met before and while none of the others were as battle hungry as the White Dragon Emperor they still found interest in strong people just like he did. "A new guy who's either really good at hiding his power or literally just popped out of nowhere, in fact, if I hadn't been there at that exact moment it's likely I would've missed him."

"Well? Don't keep us waiting, how strong is he?" Bikou prodded.

With a mischievous smirk, she directed her gaze towards Vali and answered, "I only got a brief feel of it so I can't say exactly, but I'd say he's strong enough that if you made the mistake of underestimating him you'd be dead before you could regret it, Nya."

The smirk which found its way onto the Dragon Emperor's face was predatory, words like that were what he lived for. He fought for the sole purpose of gaining power, and he gained power only so he could keep fighting stronger and stronger enemies, so he could feel the rush of battle, the true euphoria of knowing you are fighting with your life on the line, that if you let up even a little, if you make but one small mistake that's it, you'll die.

"Interesting," the leader of the 'Vali Team' said simply, a glimmer of excitement in his eyes and a hint of anticipation in his voice. When he'd heard why type of person his fated rival was, a below average human born to average parents and massive pervert who was more interested in breasts than anything else he would admit he was disappointed.

He was a half-blood, partly descendent of the original Lucifer and partly human because of his mother, however, because of that human aspect, he was blessed with Divine Dividing, one of the Thirteen Longinus. He was, as Azazel had so kindly put it, a freak of nature. He was okay with that though because it meant he could grow infinitely stronger and fight stronger enemies until either he reached the top and became the True White Dragon God Emperor or he fell in battle because he wasn't strong enough.

But it seemed he was not so fortunate after all. He was born in an era of peace, in a world where God and the original Satan were dead, Where the Angels, Fallen Angels and Devils had been weakened to a point in which they would likely never go to war again lest they wished to be completely eradicated. The one hope he had left was the red one, the host of the Boosted Gear, the Red Dragon Emperor and his rival, but even then his hope was crushed, this generations Welsh Dragon was pathetic.

Now though, with the emergence of this mysterious person, there was a glimmer of hope once more. ' _Maybe, just maybe, this world won't be so boring after all._ '

"So how did you come across him anyways? You said it was like perfect timing right?" Le Fay, who had been the one to ask the question felt slight regret at her curiosity when the black cat's expression fell into a heavy frown and slight glare.

"He was with Shirone."

"Hahah! And he's still alive? Impressive."

Kuroka merely gave a wry smile towards the monkey, "I was suspicious of course, but they seemed close, or at the very least Shirone seemed to trust him so I let it be, Nya." Truthfully the only reason she been so lenient and not interfered in some way was because the boy wasn't a Devil, she didn't know what he was if she was honest which didn't happen often but at least he wasn't a Devil, there were already enough of them around her sister than she cared for.

She couldn't wait for the day to come where she could finally make them pay for what they'd done to her and her sister, the Nekomata had already promised herself long ago that she would make them wish they had stayed hidden in the depths of Hell.

* * *

~ ORC Clubroom

"Nothing..?" Rias repeated out loud, the mix of shock and confusion on her face doing well to express the feelings of everyone else in the room.

"Mm," she hummed, "I'm sorry." she eventually said, her usually quiet tone even lower than normal. She looked like a small cat which had just been admonished by its owner the way she shrunk in on herself and tightly gripped the hem of her skirt.

Rias having noticed the state her rook was in immediately tried to ease the situation, "It's okay! I mean I'm not mad or anything, just.. surprised honestly.. I thought after that display of power we'd finally have something to go on, but I guess not.."

If only the Gremory heiress knew all the information she was really missing out on.

The small girl was in a slight daze at what had just occurred. Yes, it had been her conscious choice to do so, but she was still shocked that she'd just lied to her master, to her family, all for someone she hadn't even known for a couple months, it didn't make sense.

Ever the kind one Kiba cut it with a warm smile, "President is right, we have plenty time to learn more about him so don't let it get to you Koneko-chan." If only the blond prince knew he was actually making it worse, his kind and forgiving attitude just made the feelings of guilt grow stronger within the girl.

"So what did happen exactly?" Rias's Queen asked, an odd look on her face.

"He went to the forests outside of town and began to meditate," which wasn't exactly a lie, "He looked to be in pain, he was short of breath and pale, "again, not a lie. It was bad enough she'd taken the transfer student's side in this situation, she would at least try and fit in as many truths as she could without giving away too many of his secrets.

"And then?"

"Senpai's vitals fell dangerously low, just when his life force was about to disappear it happened." She didn't need to expand further, they all knew what 'it' was, it had scared most of the Devil's in the Gremory and Sitri's peerages half to death.

Letting out a groan of anguish this era's Red Dragon Emperor brought up an arm to cover his eyes and block the fake tears running down his face, "Aw, what's a crazy powerful guy like that doing here anyway? There's no way it's just coincidence!" he whined, bringing half smiles to some of his fellow peerage members faces and looks of annoyance to others.

"I couldn't agree more, Issei," Rias cut in, "I don't believe for a second that someone that powerful just transferred here randomly, not when we have all this trouble going on with the exorcists, stolen Excalibur fragments and Fallen Angels." Gaining a contemplative and slightly distant look on her face the president of the ORC slouched forwards slightly so that she could rest her chin on her intertwined fingers.

She still didn't believe he was a part of the three great factions, they had already thoroughly disproved that theory, but the idea that he was a neutral, unaffiliated party had gone straight out the window. The main question now what could she really keep it from her brother any longer? There was another faction moving behind the scenes, of that she was sure, this was information that her brother and the rest of the four Satan's could use, but, she just couldn't bring herself to say. She wanted to resolve this on her own, without her brothers help so that maybe people would stop looking at her as merely the younger sister of the Satan Lucifer.

She only hoped that she wouldn't come to regret this decision later on.

"Well, for now, nothing will change, I'll need you to keep up surveillance on Kurosaki-san, Koneko, right now information is most important."

The small girl merely nodded in understanding and with that, the ORC club room carried on with business.

* * *

\- Kuoh City, Later that evening

" _Very good, you can release it now._ "

A sound of shattering glass filled the clearing he was in as for the umpteenth time that day his Danku barrier fell apart. With a sigh the teen brought up an arm to wipe away the sweat which coated his brow, damn anyone who said true Jinzen meditation wasn't taxing training, physically he was fine but it always left him mentally exhausted.

But, despite how tired he felt he couldn't help the genuinely satisfied smile which came across his face, he had all but mastered Bakudo #81 at this point. Without his Zanpakuto he could summon the barrier by simply saying its name and giving a small gesture of his hand and when wielding Ryujin Jakka he could wordlessly summon the translucent wall with great speed and efficiency. All that was left now was to use it in a battle to gain a true mastery of it.

" _As always your perseverance is admirable_ ," the old Zanpakuto praised. Of all the good things that could be said about his wielder, the two that had always stood out to him was his lack of complacency and persistence. Any other person would have been completely satisfied by his level of power, his Hoho was good enough that it would leave most Captains jealous, his Hakuda was frighteningly destructive not unlike that of Yoruichi Shihoin and his Zanjutsu while the least trained out of the three was still better than most of the current Captains.

Raw power had never been a question, only Aizen, Shigekuni and perhaps Zaraki Kenpachi held more than him though that would change as he aged and grew further, with every battle, every training session his reiatsu reserves grew, it was frightening even to the old spirit how seemingly infinite the young mans capacity for growth really was. His Kido was still lacking, he knew Byakurai and Shakkaho, and now he had nearly mastered Danku, but that was it.

The Hollow and Quincy abilities he inherited from Zangetsu had helped make up for that lack of knowledge, however. But still, even with all he knew he wasn't satisfied, often times he would randomly ask the spirit a question about the various Bakudo and Hado spells, how simple they were to learn, the best situations they were suited for etc.. and the teen wanted to learn all of them. One more so than the others, for understandable reasons.

"So, will you teach me Kurohitsugi yet?" the Shinigami asked with almost childlike excitement.

Ryujin merely gave a flat stare in response. Understandable reasons they may have been the fire spirit would admit he was getting a little tired of that questions. " _No, it is not yet time, your offensive skills far outweigh your defensive, first we must-_ "

"Yeah yeah, a strong offence starts with a good defence, I get it," he cut in dismissively, he'd heard that same line far too many times to count. He couldn't help it if he really liked that spell, he got a firsthand taste of it when Aizen had used it against him and while it may not have been able to hurt him it left a lasting impression. An attack which creates gravity so strong that it can warp time and space? He would definitely find a use for that spell as much as he could.

Throwing his attention back to the amused spirit in his soul he compromised, "fine then, how about Rikujokoro? You said it was fairly easy right?"

" _Mm, well it won't be as hard as Danku was if that's what you mean by easy. I was thinking more along the lines of Sajo Sabaku but fine, Rikujokoro it is._ "

The teen rolled his eyes at the words of the spirit, ever since their training had begun the elder Zanpakuto would ask him what he wished to learn next, but every time he gave a suggestion it would be rejected and they would learn something else. Although Rikujokoro hadn't been his first choice he needed to take the little victories when he could, right? Sighing out in exasperation he settled back into his meditative position while Ryujin laughed at his mediocre troubles.

Just as he was about to give the mental nod signalling that he was ready to start learning the new spell it hit him, that twisted, sickly reiatsu he'd been hunting since first arriving here. He didn't still in surprise or pause to think about it, as soon as he felt it brush against the edge of his senses he was gone, flickering from existence in the fastest Shunpo he could muster.

Kuoh Town blurred below him as he travelled, even though it was midday and the streets were bustling with activity he held no concerns of being spotted, the distance he could travel with a single 'step' meant that he rarely had to exit Shunpo and land on solid ground.

The only concern he had right now was the Gremory and or Sitri peerages. He knew that the two Devil heiresses would be aware of what was going on and would likely want to investigate it themselves. Although he was under no delusion that they thought he was a regular human it didn't mean he wanted to fully expose himself to either of them just yet, then again, with what he told the small Nekomata the previous day his cover could already be blown to a certain degree, but he would hope that she hadn't said anything to her master.

As he touched down on the pavement in front of the home which held the latest victim he made sure to clamp down on all of his reiatsu as not to alert the person inside of his arrival. With one final check that all the Devil's were still in Kuoh Academy, he set forth up the stairs into the open home.

It was hard to resist the urge to cover his nose with his shirt as he entered the home, the stench of blood, death and decay assaulted his nose more strongly with every step. When he'd ventured in deep enough and fully stepped into the main living room the latest victim was made clear to him and it was far worse than any of the cases prior.

He couldn't keep the bile from rising in his throat, "oh god-" he paused, gagging again, "for fuck sake-" he couldn't stand it. Closing his eyes he fell back lightly against the wall for support, he tried to calm his breathing as he wiped his clammy hands against his pant legs but it was a futile effort.

He had seen and experienced some bad things in his time during the supernatural, and upon coming here to Kuoh and investigating these brutal murders those boundaries were pushed, but until now he'd managed to keep his emotions under control, but this- this was just sick, it took torture to a whole new level.

"I was hoping you'd be able to appreciate such fine art considering how persistently you've been trying to catch me, but in the end, it seems like you're too big of a pussy to really understand it's beauty," a disturbed and honeyed tone called out from the opposite side of the room.

Slowly the Shinigami's eyes crept open, his golden-brown iris's burned with hatred. The absolute loathing that was directed at the bloodstained man seemed to only amuse him further.

Pushing off from the wall he was leaning against he turned to face the killer head-on, "You have five seconds to explain what the fuck _this_ is," he began, waving an unsteady arm out to further make his point, "before I rip the life out of you." he finished in a low growl, tendrils of black creeping into the white's of his eyes.

For just a moment some of the insanity left the killer's expression and he found it hard to speak due to the lump which was sat in his throat. Freed wasn't sure if the punk was aware of the energy he was releasing but for just an instant he felt like he was in the presence of Kokabiel, like he was an insect stood before a giant.

His mindset quickly corrected, ' _Bullshit, like this scum could be stronger than me,_ ' he hissed internally before bringing his attention back outwards. "It's no big deal, I was just cleansing this earth of Devil loving filth~" he sang out, every bit of madness that had left his features coming back tenfold.

Ichigo's teeth locked themselves together in rage as he watched the killers snake-like tongue slither from his mouth and lick some of the blood off of his face.

Before the man's next breath could be drawn his body had been slammed through a wall and a lightly tanned hand was gripping his throat. His own pale hands clawed a the vice around his neck and his red eyes were bloodshot as he struggled to take in air. This wasn't a human that was attacking him, it was a monster, the only reflection he could see in the golden iris and black sclera was his death.

* * *

~ A/N:

 **For how long it took to put out this chapter I was hoping it would be longer, but what can you do right? My life has been pretty busy as of late which cut into my writing time, also I've been working on a couple other projects on the side which haven't helped much either. With that said you may all see another Bleach/DXD crossover posted by me soon.**

 **A lot happened in the chapter itself, Koneko helped Ichigo regain his powers which I hadn't actually intended on doing but the scene just kind of wrote itself. It was a lot longer than I thought it would be but I'm happy with how it turned out.**

 **We got a glimpse of Amaterasu in the underworld and learned a little more about the mysterious person who saved Ichigo, I know a lot of people thought it was either Ophis or Great Red who saved him but nope, I'm not that cliche haha.**

 **I know one of the things that will probably surprise you all the most is the scene where Koneko lied to Rias to cover Ichigo, I have a good feeling that a lot of you will think it was unrealistic and out of character for her to do so but I don't think it was, but maybe that's just me. Along with that we got a glimpse of Vali and his team, I know technically he wouldn't be with them until after coming out as traitor during the meeting of the three factions but I twisted things a bit. I feel like his defection to the chaos brigade would have been something he was planning for a while before it actually happened.**

 **Lastly we get a bit of an update on Ichigo's Kido progress, but more so he finally gets his hands on the murder he'd been tracking since arriving in the DXD side of things. I had a lot of fun writing that scene because I think seeing Ichigo loose his shit and go mad with rage as he does in this chapter is badass as hell, reminds me of when he rampages in his Vasto Lorde form.**

 **I don't really have much else to say as far as the chapter goes but I do have something I want to say that's kind of off topic. I had an encounter with a reader that kind of surprised me and I wanted to address it here because I feel it's important. I won't say any names as I don't want to throw them under the bus but recently a reader of this story messaged me and demanded that I post the new chapter, saying that they and everyone else have waited long enough, and I was honestly taken aback.**

 **I know that 99.99% of you all would never do such a thing but if there is anyone who reads my stories and has ever done this or thought about doing it, don't, it's incredibly disrespectful to the author. For most of us on this site, myself included, writing fanfiction is merely a hobby, I have other things in my life that take priority over it which causes me to upload new chapters rather slowly. So it is quite offensive honestly when someone demands more chapters to your work, your enjoyment is not worth more than my personal life.**

 **At the end of the day you have to remember that this isn't a service that you are paying for, myself and every other author on this site are providing you with stories to read and enjoy for free, you aren't entitled to anything from us.**

 **I hope that didn't sound too harsh or mean but I wanted to get it off my chest.**

 **If you have any thoughts on the chapter than feel free to leave a review, I'm always looking to improve my writing and so constructive feedback is appreciated. If you have any questions then feel free to message me, I always reply when I can.**

 **\- Vertius**


	12. Chapter 12

**I'm back! I told you guys I wasn't abandoning this, you really need to have more faith in me lol. If you ever want to know what the status' of any of my stories are then check my Bio, I have a section for each of my stories which says if they are in progress, on hiatus or completed. Anyways, I won't say much more here and instead just let you read the chapter, if you want more information about what I've been up to than check the authors note at the end of the chapter!**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own Bleach, Highschool DXD, nor any of their respective characters.**

* * *

Guardian of the Dead

\- Chapter 12 -

He didn't care. He didn't care that the man's fingernails were shredding his arm, he didn't care that his shins were getting battered by his flailing legs. He didn't care that at this moment as he watched the corrupt exorcist struggle desperately to fill his lungs with air that he was a monster.

He just wanted this man _dead_.

Feeling his muscles flex he pushed harder, the drywall creaked under the pressure and the spiderweb-like cracks which formed on the initial impact spread further. He could see the fear in the man's red eyes, the once psychotic gleam having diminished completely leaving only a primal terror. It only made the Shinigami angrier.

"What right do you have to be afraid?!" he spat out, voice barely above a whisper, "What about all the innocent people you've killed- _butchered_ for your own sick pleasure.. what about their fear?" he paused, struggling desperately to keep his reiatsu from exploding outwards. Gritting his teeth he pulled the man back away from the wall briefly only so he could slam him into it once more, "how many of them begged, huh? Grovelling on their knees, crying at your feet? And did you show them any mercy?"

Seeing that the man was trying to say something he relented a little of the pressure he had on his throat and give him a moment to suck in some much-needed breaths of air. Yeah, he probably should have just killed him there but in the teens darkened state of mind he wanted to hear what the exorcist had to say, he wanted to hear all of the pathetic excuses he could come up with.

"Sh-she beg-ged me- to just spa-re h-hurrk!" the man paused, a bout of coughing having taken over, not even attempting to wipe the drool coming from the side of his mouth he pushed on, "spare her- daughter.." the man choked out a horse huff of laughter before continuing again" So I- pinned the bitch to the floor- with my sword.." he paused again, another cough escaping him. And then, a sickening smile spread across his face, one that made the teen begin to regret letting him speak at all. "..her screams of agony as I- I raped her daughter.. I've never been so horn-" any other words were cut off as the teen before him snapped.

Before one blink and the next, the exorcist's body had been implanted in the floor of the home, the Shinigami was above him, his fists moving in a blur as they continued to lay into the exorcists face.

His eyes had a distinct stinging sensation as he ground his teeth together, he had never felt such a blindingly hot rage within him, not even the anger he felt in Hell when Yuzu begun forming one of Hell's chains could compare to this. He wasn't even trying to kill the exorcist anymore, he was long past that now.. ' _I want him to suffer.. I want to hear him beg for his life.. to feel the cold terror that he put his victims through!_ '

"- _higo.._ "

" _Ichigo.._ "

" _Ichigo! Calm down!_ " Ryujin roared, finally getting through to his young wielder.

The teen recoiled back as if he'd just been slapped, greedily he sucked in a deep, calming breath of air. It felt as if he had been downing, unable to pull himself back above water, the darkness just kept growing around him as he struggled. The sound of his blood pounding in his ears was deafening in this now silent home.

Looking down towards the man Ichigo grimaced, not because of what he had done to him- no, he deserved all of it plus more.. he was just disappointed in himself for letting it get to that, for losing his control.

Standing up he took another couple of deep breaths, his heartbeat slowly settling back down. He would speak to his Zanpakuto spirit again later but for now, he just sent a mental ' _thank you,_ ' to which the old spirit sent out a comforting pulse of heat from the depths of his soul.

Ichigo cursed softly under his breath when a red glow filled the area, an intricate magic circle forming on the opposite side of the room. He could have gotten away still without meeting them face to face, none of them had any hope of keeping up with his Shunpo, but he was just too mentally exhausted. And what good would it have done anyway? They already knew he was here, he had been mildly aware of how wildly his reiatsu had been fluctuating during that situation only he hadn't cared.

So even if he fled now they would just see each other at school, might as well just get all of the headaches over in one go, right?

When the group appeared in a flash of red they immediately covered their mouths and noses. The smell in the home was still quite rancid from the corpses not to mention there was a lot of dust floating around the air from the impromptu remodelling he had done using Freed's body.

Their eyes first went to the mangled heap of corpses sat in the corner though none of their gazes lingered, next, as they shifted towards the darkened corner of the room looks of fear filled their expressions. Ichigo couldn't blame them, he supposed he would make for a pretty scary sight right now, shrouded in darkness with eyes glowing from his stirred reiatsu, blood covered fists as he stood over a mangled body and nearly unrecognizable face.

Asia half hid behind the Red Dragon, just peaking around his shoulder, she seemed to really be struggling with the whole situation and that he felt bad for. She was much like Inoue it seemed, a desire to help her friends but just unsuited for the lifestyle. Kiba was glaring venomously at the bloodied body at his feet so clearly, there was some history there, he didn't seem to be directing any of that emotion towards Ichigo though, he was just cautious.

Koneko had a mixed look on her face, partially sympathetic when her gaze flickered towards him and partially angry when her eyes fell on the trash at his feet. Akeno, the Queen of their peerage seemed a little troubled by everything going on but for the most part, she looked pretty impassive. And finally, Rias. She, much like her Queen was holding it together pretty well, she seemed torn between letting her usual arrogant and haughty personality come to the forefront or just staying as she was for fear of angering him.

Shifting his weight to his back foot he huffed, he found it kind of amusing to see them twitch every time he so much as moved a finger. Normally he wouldn't want to be feared by anyone, well maybe except his enemies, but right now he just didn't care, he just wanted to go home.

"K-Kurosaki-san.." the Gremory Heiress managed to get out, though her voice held none of its usual volume and authority.

He gave a brief hum of acknowledgement in response, "Gremory-san."

Straightening her posture she took a step forward, "I would like to thank you personally for apprehending this man,"

Brow raising curiously he looked towards the Devil with a little bit of surprise, ' _huh.. well that wasn't what I had expected,_ ' he mused. She seemed genuine in her words of thanks, maybe she wasn't so bad after all-

"However.." she continued, pausing slightly when she saw his eyes fall into an unimpressed stare, "-however, you have overstepped your boundaries." She finished strongly, some of her backbone having returned.

" _What?!_ " He hissed, rounding on her with an incredulous stare. Had he just misheard her? He really hoped that was the case.

"I-It is as you've heard. Kuoh town is a joint territory under the control of myself – the Heiress to the house of Gremory – and Sona Sitri – the Heiress to the house of Sitri – anything that happens in this town must be approved by one of us first. I don't know what mythology you belong too, Kurosaki-san, or where your loyalties lay but you are not exempt from this either as long as you live in this town."

The room fell dangerously silent as he mulled over the verbal garbage she had just spewed towards him, she made it so easy for the Shinigami to hate her. "Overstepped my boundaries?" he echoed back in a mumble, he couldn't believe what he'd just heard.

"Your territory, huh?" He said lightly with a burst of mocking laughter. "I'll be blunt with you here, _Gremory-san_ , I couldn't care less about what is or is not a part of your territory, all I care about is helping people and stopping bad guys.." he paused, debating mentally if he really wanted to keep verbally pushing her. The last thing he needed right now was to start another fight which could- and most likely would draw in more Devils. And, considering the way her peerage members glared at him for his rudeness towards her told him the possibility was all too real, but then again, he just really didn't care right now.

Well, he never was one for half-assing things..

"It's fine if you want to stand their all haughtily with your worthless pride telling me what I can and cannot do in _your territory_ , but if you're going to go down that route then you'd better make damn sure you can back it up." Glancing down towards the presumed dead man at his feet his mouth twisted distastefully and his temper flared once more. "This piece of shit has been running around butchering people indiscriminately since I arrived here, you've got Fallen Angels running around behind the scenes stirring trouble with the Excalibur Fragments and what have you done about it? _Nothing_." She flinched.

"You claim this is your territory right? So protect it! And if you're not going to do it than stand back! You have no right to get all high and mighty when someone comes around who's willing to do the work that you won't!"

* * *

She had to wonder where her peaceful life went- well she knew where it went, she just didn't want to accept it. After years of practically begging her family let her move to the human world to experience their culture she'd finally gotten them to agree, and with it, she'd moved to a small town called Kuoh in the Country of Japan.

Even though nothing truly major had happened yet it felt as if her life had been turned on its head since her third year of high school had begun. With her engagement to Riser suddenly being pushed forward, her meeting of Issei and Asia and their subsequent resurrections into her peerage, her first ever rating game against the man she hated most in the world and her unfortunate loss.

She could still vividly remember the cold dread that filled her as her wedding dress was donned for the engagement party, only increasing when her sole pawn stormed the ballroom and demanded that she be given back to him. Her heart fluttered now at the memory but she still wished it had never come to that, because of her weakness Issei had to give up his arm to the Red Dragon, a price which could never be refunded.

Perhaps she had gotten complacent in her time away from the underworld, though could you blame her? After two years of peace and quiet away from her home, away from cunning and arrogant nobles, deceitful and treacherous politics, the name of Gremory which had suffocated her since her birth, how could she not grow dull to the world after she had become a 'normal girl' that didn't have to deal with suck-up's trying to get a good word put in to her Onii-sama.

She'd been avoiding this topic, however, unwilling to humour the idea that she'd fallen behind in her training, that she had let the town she swore to her brother she would protect fall into chaos due to her lack of caring. And, after her arranged marriage had been cancelled and peace had seemed to once more befall her life she was more than willing to let it drop again.

But now as she stood face to face with the terrifying transfer student who was none too kindly dressing her down she realized it was time she stopped running from all the trouble happening around her, it was about time that she released her grasp on the fragile peace around her and fought for something better.

* * *

Stepping forwards Kiba put a reassuring hand on Rias' shoulder, the backbone she'd had melted away quickly upon hearing the words spoken by the transfer student. "Kurosaki-san.. while I believe you are a good person who wants to help people, I cannot sit back and let you speak so disrespectfully to my master, if you continue to do so than I-"

"Am I wrong?" Ichigo cut in bluntly, levelling the Knight with a challenging stare.

The Knights mouth opened to respond however no sound came out, seeing that he was at a loss for words Ichigo decided to call it there and made way for the home's entrance. As he brushed past the speechless Devils he was not surprised to receive no objections to his departure.

You could feel the tension slowly fade away from the room with every step the transfer student took away from them, their bodies finally loosening up as they heard the soft squeak of the porches front steps from his weight before he vanished from their senses. Giving it a couple more seconds the Gremory Heiress turned too her peerage and opened her mouth to speak.

"Let's take our leave from here as well, there isn't much left for us now.." The Heiress commanded, her voice a little weak as she began to speak, "I'll contact my Grayfia and ask her to send someone to clean _this_ up.." she trailed off, unwilling to look towards the carnage any further. With accepting nods from her peerage her Queen summoned another teleportation circle below their feet and whisked them away.

When all parties had left and silence once again reigned in the ruined home a single, bloodshot eye crept open and stared ecstatically at the ceiling. In a show of thanks to the devil scum, he would make her death as painless as possible the next time he saw her. Thanks to her naivete she had failed to check if he was really dead or just playing the part to bide his time and try for an escape.

He was in a pathetic state, barely breathing from the thrashing he'd received.. It was a hit to his pride to be so utterly crushed but thanks to their error he would be able to leave this place and return the favour tenfold. Mustering the last of his strength he reached into his coat pocket and grasped a small grey ball, crushing it between his fingers the room was filled with a blinding light and when it faded he was gone.

* * *

~ Kuoh Academy

Okay, she would admit that she was pretty nervous right now, why wouldn't she be? Just as she told her peerage she would, she contacted Grayfia about getting a team to come to the Human World and clean up the mess that was the latest victim's home. And, although the task had been accomplished and people had been sent out the conversation had ended with Grayfia telling Rias she was to come to Hell for an important meeting with not her brother, but the Crimson Lucifer and Sin of Pride himself.

She had mulled over it for a good twenty minutes just trying to think of something- anything that this meeting could be about, unfortunately to no avail, she was never called to meet with the Satan Lucifer, it was always her brother Sirzechs.

Anxiously she sat in the silence of the occult research club's main room, lightly biting at her fingernails as she waited for the clock to strike seven, that was when the magic circle would appear to take her to Hell, and hopefully to a brother in a good mood.

"Do you think this could be about Kurosaki-san?" Akeno asked in a curious tone as she held a finger to her raised chin.

Rias thought over the question for a moment, in truth she'd already considered that possibility once but it was just hard to really believe, "I just can't see it.. other than a couple spikes in energy there hasn't been anything that would really draw Beelzebub-sama's attention, especially considering how much of a hot spot Kuoh has been recently, it's likely that they would just brush off small abnormalities at this point considering everything that's going on."

"And you've never mentioned him to your brother? Not even with the earlier report?" she asked further after giving a nod and hum of agreement to her King's initial reasoning.

"No," she began with a simple shake of her head, "maybe it was wrong on my part but I never felt the need to tell them, me and Sona aren't obliged to mention every spiritually adept person who comes along," pausing, she blushed slightly when she noticed her Queen giving her a sly smile and a look of ' _really?_ '

"I think we can both agree that he isn't just 'another spiritually adept person' who came strolling along Rias.."

Puffing her cheeks she turned away with a quick 'hmph,' though try as she might to hold her pout firm she cracked at the soft giggling which came from her best friend behind her. With a small huff of laughter of her own, she relented and turned back to her Queen who was now giving her a sympathetic look.

"I get it, you just don't want to be a burden to your brother, you want to show him and everyone else that you can handle things on your own," she spoke softly.

Nodding slowly Rias gave a lopsided, sombre smile, "Kurosaki-san's words hurt last night, like a punch to the gut or a slap to the face.. but they were true," seeing that her Queen wanted to object she gave gave a simple shake of her head, "It's just as you said, I don't want to be a burden to my brother, I want people to know they can rely on me to do things but I haven't tried hard enough, I let my peaceful life here in the human world dull my sense of responsibility, I hoped things would just resolve themselves nicely while I sat in the back puffing my chest out as the co-ruler of this territory.. and instead things only got worse."

Sighing out heavily she slumped back into her seat and stared out at the dimming sky, "then, last night he goes and captures the stray exorcist who's been brutally murdering people which I couldn't do, and how do I repay him? With a half-hearted thank you followed by a bratty princess act."

"I'm sure if you just apologized to him he would forgive you, he seems very nice despite the frosty demeanour he shows outwardly.." Akeno added reassuringly while laying a comforting hand on her friend's arm, however this time it was Rias' turn to give her a mirthless smile and a look that said ' _really?_ '

I don't know if you've noticed it yet Akeno but he doesn't seem to be too fond of me- well to be fair he doesn't act like he's very fond of _anyone_ here in Kuoh but with me, it's like he has a little less patience than with everyone else.

Those were words that Akeno couldn't really deny, she had noticed the slight animosity which filled his gaze when Rias was near but as confusing as it was she'd never gotten the courage to actually go up to him and ask what it was all about, as far as she knew there was no history between the two.

Seeing a soft silver glow light up the front of the room and the magic circle which they'd come to associate with Grayfia appear on the floor the two girls stood, Rias more stiffly than her Queen. With Akeno's aid, the two made sure her uniform was spotless and that there wasn't a hair out of place on her head before both walked towards the edge of the pulsing magic circuit, and Rias prepared herself to step through.

* * *

~ Unknown Location

"Oh dear.. all I could hear from this room was a fanatical, venomous tirade and so out of curiosity I came to see what going on and this is what I find?" Shaking his head in mock disappointment the embodiment of evil surveyed the damage done to the once hospital like space.

Overturned beds, gashes and bullet holes marring the once pristine room, pools of blood on the floor and splattered on the walls. Smears of the same crimson liquid smudged on the white tiles showing a panic that had once filled this room when the now butchered victims had tried to escape their killer.

The perpetrator himself was stood naked over on the far side of the room above an equally nude female sacred gear wielder. She was scratched and bleeding in a few places but not dead, however judging by the tears streaming down her blank face as she lay there broken and defeated she probably wished she was.

"Ah, so you would be Siegfried's _brother_ ," the newcomer spoke in a honeyed tone, "they had told me you were the psychotic one of the pair but I didn't expect it to be this bad," he continued further glancing around the room, completely uncaring that he was insulting the man, the stray exorcist was nothing more than a bug at his feet and both of them knew it.

Eyes shining with a malicious glee he let more of his toxic words slip, the anger that was growing on the exorcists face only further fuelling his dark game, "Or perhaps this is how you act every time you come crawling home from nearly getting your life taken away."

Unable to hold back anymore the grin that split his face was simply mocking, it was comical to the Devil how this exorcist grit his teeth and bristled with anger, "or so they say, you're the laughing stock around here right now," he finished with an uncaring shrug before starting to turn around.

" _kill him.._ "

"Hm?" the Devil hummed curiously as he heard the same zealous tone that originally drew him here in the first place.

" _Kill him.._ "

" _Kill him.._ "

"I'll kill him.. I'LL FUCKING KILL THAT PUNK," Freed roared, his eyes bulging and bloodshot, mouth twisted as a depraved laughter escaped him.

Interest renewed Freed's sole observer turned towards him again as he continued to stare off into space as if in a trance while chanting about what he'd do to this so-called 'punk,' as well as the Devil whore, her peerage, and a whole town too.

"It seems you have quite the hit list, but can you really do it? Your first attempt didn't go so well," he mocked.

The sudden words having broken him from his dream the exorcists eyes snapped back onto the man stood in the door, this time however his taunting jabs didn't bring forth an anger in him, no, now it just made him laugh more because he had a trump card, "Of course.. old man Valpa has been working on something for me."

"Ah yes, the Chimera project.." the Devil affirmed, "but will it really be enough?" he asked curiously while bringing a hand up to stroke his beard. "What if you could have something more?"

It didn't take long for Freed to realize the meaning of his words, face relaxing back into neutrality – well as normal as could be for someone with such little sanity – he wasted no time in confirming his assumptions, "a snake?"

"Of course, call it a whim but I think this could be interesting.. get dressed and follow me if you're interested."

In a rare show of self-preservation, the exorcist actually hesitated, "The first thing I was told when coming here was ' _don't trust Rizevim._ '"

At those words Rizevim burst out into a rare display of laughter, "that's good advice, you should heed it," he spoke honestly.

Seeing Freed give him a suspicious look the man's laughter finally began fading into a light chuckle, leaving the exorcist with some parting words he turned and began to walk away, uncaring if the man would actually follow him or not, "however.. I never told you to trust me."

Thinking the situation over for a moment a grin spread onto his face as he started reaching for his clothing, ' _when did I become such a pussy? Who cares what happens to me as long as I can kill Devil loving scum?_ '

* * *

~ Underworld, Capital City of Lilith

Waiting for her on the other side was the same person who'd prepared the teleportation circle in the first place, her brothers Wife, Queen, and the head maid of the house of Gremory, Grayfia Lucifuge. The woman in question looking as calm and poised as ever merely inclined her head respectfully towards the Gremory Heiress before gesturing for Rias to follow her.

It didn't take her long to realize that this wasn't the Gremory house which she was accustomed to, instead it was her brothers office building in the Devil's Capital City of Lilith, ' _this really isn't looking good.._ ' the crimson-haired princess languished mentally, her hands unconsciously gripping at the hem of her skirt.

"Do you have any idea why my brother has called for me, Grayfia?"

"I do not know the particulars of it, however, Sirzechs-sama has indeed given me some information regarding the purpose of today's summoning," glancing to her left and seeing the hopeful glint in the high school girls eyes the maid quickly added onto her previous statement, "it would however be very disrespectful towards the Lord Lucifer were I to disclose that information since I have not been given his explicit instructions to do so."

Inwardly the Gremory maid smirked at the childish pout which found its way onto the girls face, though of course her outward demeanour never so much as twitched. In truth, she knew exactly what this meeting was about and Rias was right to be a little nervous. While Sirzechs wasn't planning on punishing her per say, he also wasn't going to be his usual doting big brother self, this meeting was to be somewhat of a wake-up call for Rias.

When the pair stopped in front of the two large wooden doors which led to their final destination Grayfia didn't even have to knock on the door to signal their arrival and a powerful voice was coming through the door giving them permission to enter.

She'd only been in his office twice before today and both times she previous she was considerably younger, however, it was still as lavish as she remembered it too be. The decor was slightly different than what most would expect from a Devil but it was still well within the range of what you'd expect from the one called Lucifer.

Dark oak, various shades of red, taxidermy and a few skulls from legendary creatures, apocalyptic scene's covering the walls and a large portrait of the man in question behind his desk, personally Rias found the room to be very tacky – an opinion she knew her sister-in-law shared completely – however this was the one room her brother was allowed to decorate as he wished and Grayfia could note intervene.

Sirzechs himself was stood at one of the many windows in his office, regal and proud with his arms crossed behind his back. He didn't have on his usual royal attire and was instead clad in a simple white suit though that didn't mean his presence was any less domineering.

"Good evening, Onii-sama," Rias finally called out, her voice slightly unsure.

Turning away from the window finally he met the two woman with a smile but made no effort to move from his place in the room. Glancing first towards his wife his words were simple, "Thank you, Grayfia, you may leave now." The woman in question nodded tersely first in appreciation of his gratitude and then bowed at his command before turning on her heel and exiting the room, the doors shutting silently behind her.

"Good evening, Rias, I trust you've been well?" He continued, now looking towards his sister. His words were soft and his smile warm but deep within his eyes could be seen the cold, tempered ruthlessness of his true position as Leader of the Devils.

"I have been, thank you," she replied sincerely, her words bringing a visible relief to her brother however short lasting it may have been.

Walking towards his desk he gestured to the many seats which surrounded his sister, "why don't you have a seat, as you've probably guessed this isn't just a family gathering, I have some questions I'd like answered and time is of the essence right now."

Wordlessly she did as instructed, seating herself gracefully in one of the frontmost chairs which faced his desk directly, she tried her best to keep her hands still in her lap however the feeling of dread that was quickly building around her made it hard to stop the fidgeting.

' _Please don't be about last night, please don't be about last night, please don't be-_ '

"About last night.."

' _Dammit.._ '

"I was informed late last night by Grayfia that you had contacted her regarding a cleanup team which would be required after the latest victim of that stray exorcist, but also that – much to my delight – you and your peerage had finally eliminated the man.. however, the report I received from the cleanup team this morning left me puzzled, do you have any idea what it might have said?" He finished in a relaxed tone, his face completely neutral save for one curiously raised brow.

Swallowing the lump in her throat she replied simply, "I do not, Onii-sama."

Letting out a soft hum Sirzechs leaned casually against his desk and reached for a group of papers sat atop it, after a moment of shuffling he found the specific piece he was looking for and set back down the rest. Outstretching his hand he gave the report to his sister, "read that first paragraph for me."

Again she wordlessly did as instructed, and with every line that she progressed through her eyes grew further with shock until she reached the end, "..there was no body?" It was only a whisper but in the Lucifer's silent office the words were heard clearly.

"Mm, and there was a trace of magic left where his body was supposed to lay," he finished off for Rias.

Seeing that she was at a loss for words as she stared blankly at the report he decided to just be blunt about the situation, "I won't mince my words here Rias, despite how lacking you have been in your training since going to the human world," he paused briefly seeing his sister flinch slightly at the jab, he didn't want to insult her but it was something that needed to be said, "despite that I know for certain that you wouldn't be naive enough to not check and see if your enemy was really dead or just playing the part."

"More so," he continued when she remained silent in her seat still, "Ajuka picked up quite the interesting pulse of energy just before you said your peerage defeated this stray exorcist, the same interesting pulse of energy that has been popping up randomly for the past couple of weeks.."

' _Bingo,_ ' the Crimson Lucifer thought to himself as he watched his little sister, he hadn't missed the way her mouth thinned and her eyes briefly widened at that little tidbit of information. It was as he and the other Satan's had guessed, someone pretty interesting had taken up residence in or around Kuoh town and much to Serafall's and his own surprise both of their sisters felt it was unnecessary to tell them.

Rias he could understand, she'd always tried to shoulder burdens on herself to make his job easier, but Sona was usually so diligent, always cautious with potential enemies. She, much like Rias had always preferred trying to solve things on her own however she never hesitated to tell her sister what was going on just in case something went sour.

Whoever this mystery person is, they must be quite something if even Sona was willing to keep tight-lipped, ' _now I just need to find out who it is._ '

"Now then, let's say there was a mystery person who was unaffiliated with the Devils, Angels and Fallen Angels that came to Kuoh, and this mystery person for whatever reason decided that they were going to put an end to this stray exorcist. Maybe you got there just as they were finishing up, or maybe they had already left by the time you arrived, that I don't know, but my guess would be the former since I doubt they'd leave a job like that unfinished.

I assume you arrived there and spooked this mystery person forcing them to leave without finishing what they'd started, and, considering what was chopped up a few feet away from him I doubt you wanted to stay for longer than you needed to, thus you understandably didn't go and check to see if the exorcist still had a pulse.

This, unfortunately, leaves us at our current situation, an iffy report, a mysterious person running about and an exorcist who's either a great actor or just got really lucky.."

With a loud groan the younger of the two Gremory siblings finally spoke up again after her long silence, "ugh, you were spot on.."

The smile that Sirzechs gave his sister response was ever so slightly smug.

"I didn't get the position as head of the Devil race solely for my power Rias, my brain isn't too bad either.. Now then, why don't you tell me just who this mystery person is?"

"Well.. his name is Ichigo Kurosaki.."

* * *

It took about forty-five minutes to get everything off her chest, despite the short time the transfer student had been there Rias had quite a lot to say about him. Sirzechs for his part just stayed silent the whole time and just let his sister talk, a downward turn of his lips here, a twitch of his eye there, he merely took in all of the information and tried to piece things together as best he could.

The first word that came to his mind when all was said and done however was _suspicious_. The whole thing reeked of something fishy but he couldn't put his finger on it. And why the hell did the name Ichigo Kurosaki sound so familiar?

Crossing his arms at his chest he let out a deep sigh and let his mind fall further into thought. He was really trying to fit everything together as best he could but there was just so little to go on. They didn't know what kind of fighter he was as the only time they'd been close to seeing him in actual combat was when they caught him with bloodied fists standing over a beat up exorcist, yeah maybe he was a hand to hand fighter or maybe he just had some personal history with the guy, lost his cool and proceeded to pound him into the ground.

Considering what the damage was to the inside of the home he was betting on the latter.

He could be an Elementalist like Serafall, Sona and Akeno, he could be a swordsman like Souji, hell, he could even be a magician who stayed in good shape, Sirzechs just didn't know. Ajuka couldn't pinpoint a race either because the guy's energy was unlike anything he'd ever seen before which meant he could be allied with anyone or even no one.

At least he didn't seem hostile, that was his main concern right now, the safety of Rias, Sona, and their peerages. But, if Rias' words were to be believed than asides from a disinterest in making friends he wasn't a bad guy overall.

Though it could just be an act..

Ignoring the mysterious transfer student for a moment there was one other thing that was bothering him about this whole story, "are you sure that's all Koneko was able to find out?" He asked in a low voice, though his question caused Rias to bristle in anger.

"What?! You can't possibly be suggesting that she _lied_ to me!" the Gremory Heiress couldn't believe what she'd just heard, to even suggest that her servant would lie to her was just ridiculous. But, as the seconds ticked by and her brother made no effort of correcting himself she couldn't help but start to lose some of her vigour. In fact, he simply shrugged at her question and let a devilish smirk creep its way onto his face, one that made her think _Lucifer_ and send an uncomfortable shiver down her spine.

"I'm not saying anything Rias.. however you know her abilities and capabilities as well as I do, maybe even better, for that to be all she could find out.. I just find it odd, that's all.."

Truthfully, Rias found it odd too, but she would have faith in Koneko.

Letting his expression fall back to that of neutrality he stood up and stretched his body before addressing his sister once more, "forgive me, it wasn't my intention today to make you doubt your servants, I just need all the information I can get right now, things are further progressing to chaos in the world of supernatural politics."

That brought a frown to the girls face, "more issues with the Shinto Faction?"

"Surprisingly no," he answered, giving his head a brief shake, "I was contacted by Azazel recently with news that would be going to the Angels as well, it seems that Hades is moving suspiciously behind the scenes right now, I was a little suspicious at first considering how serious a claim it was but then he told me that the information came from Indra of all people, now I have to take it with the utmost seriousness."

Rias blanched, more monsters that were worlds above her. Hades was someone considered to be in the top ten strongest beings of this world much like her brother however her brother and Beelzebub-sama were both ranked higher than he was and could most likely win in a one on one fight, Indra however.. if her memory served her correctly than Indra was someone on the same level as Amaterasu, the Goddess of the Sun, both of whom could take on her bother _and_ Beelzebub-sama at the same time. She couldn't even imagine what kind of strength you would need to do such a thing.

And to think Indra isn't even the strongest of his faction. At least with the Shinto, it doesn't get any worse than Amaterasu, but with the Hindu, you have the whole Trimurti, Brahma the Creator, Vishnu the Preserver and Shiva the Destroyer, the same Destroyer which is said to be able to fight on even ground with the Infinite Dragon God, Ophis.

Maybe it wasn't so bad to be lower on the food chain after all? At least then you wouldn't have to deal with beings who could destroy the world.

"I'm sorry for keeping it from you, Onii-sama," she finally answered, a look of guilt present on her face, in her own desire to seem grown up and capable to everyone else she forgot about the serious, world-threatening matters that her brother and the other three Satan's needed to deal with on a daily basis. To her surprise, however, he merely shook his head at her apology.

"You don't need to do that Rias, I'm happy that you and Sona are trying to grow as Devils but just remember that it isn't a sign of weakness to ask for council or even just to keep us updated on what's going on down there in the human world."

"I won't forget, I promise," she answered with a smile.

With a smile of his own he prepared to send her back, "good," pausing in front of his office door he turned to face Rias one last time and levelled her with a hard stare, "you must train harder Rias, you and your peerage have a lot of potential that must be unleashed. I'm not telling you to sacrifice your peaceful life in the human world but you must start taking training more seriously, the world is teetering dangerously on the brink of another world war and if we want any hope of surviving it than the Devil race is going to need all the strength it can get, and that strength must come from today's youth."

* * *

~ Kuoh Town

It had been relatively quiet since his run-in with Rias and her Peerage a few nights ago. He had spent all of Sunday mulling over his actions the night prior, satisfied with the overall outcome but displeased with his own lack of self-control. But then again, how could he hold his sanity after hearing what he had? He couldn't.

More so, the fact that his daily training had been limited to meditation and Jinzen hadn't been helping matters either. He still wasn't used to keeping his power so tightly wound up and so Kido training had been his one way of expending power without leaving massive signatures that could give him away. After Saturday night, however, his Kido training had screeched to a halt due too the little white cat which had been watching his every move.

Without a way to expand the raging energies within himself, the infuriatingly arrogant Devil Heiress whom he wished he'd never had to meet and the knowledge he held of the despicable means she and her brother used to recruit her peerage. Not to mention the encounter with the psychotic and disturbed killer, he would admit his nerves were frayed and the frustration was building quick.

He was almost at the point of just blowing his own cover, this whole sneaking around just wasn't his forte. He'd dabbled in it twice now, first when he went to go and rescue Rukia, and the second when he entered Hueco Mundo to settle his score with Grimmjow, save Inoue, and maybe just stop Aizen's plans altogether right there.

On both occasions, the stealth thing went out the window and he was left fighting multiple enemies with everything he had, what was the point in trying it a third time when he knew damn well how this would end? With Ryujin Jakka drawn and his enemies drowning in a sea of flames.

Sighing out he pushed his hands deeper into his pant pockets and further slouched as he continued down one of Kuoh's busier streets. As much as he wanted to just dive in head first and start swinging like he used to, he couldn't, because that would cause problems that Amaterasu, Susanoo and Tsukuyomi would have to clean up and he didn't want to create problems for them or anyone else, that just wasn't him.

It was for that reason that he'd always tried to lone wolf it, to carry all the burdens on his shoulders so that no one else too – too bad he'd always had good friends who wouldn't let him do something so foolish. No matter what arguments he posed, how stubbornly he protested they would always be right there charging into battle with him. He couldn't keep the soft smile from curving his lips as he thought about everyone back home in Karakura and the Soul Society.

He wouldn't be able to go back and see them until his cover was blown due to the fact his signature would vanish upon leaving this dimension and that would only cause problems for him upon his return, so, for now, all he could do was hope that things moved along quickly.

Speaking of quickly.. spotting a narrow alley coming up on his left he turned sharply and took a few long strides towards its centre. His smile shifted to that of mischief as he felt the energy signature of his shadow picking up speed to trying and regain eyesight on him, just as his classmate was nearing his location he clamped down on his reiatsu and launched himself skywards in a flicker of Shunpo.

* * *

It was obvious that he knew what she was doing, she never once doubted for a second that he was oblivious, in fact, she'd never met someone who was so alert, aware and in tune with their surroundings at all times than her new Senpai. So yes, he knew she was tailing him, watching and waiting for anything that might be useful information to bring back to her master. And, perhaps it was because he knew she was following him that he wanted to make her job as difficult as possible, or more accurately her masters job more difficult whom he'd shown great dislike towards thus far.

She often wondered if there was a secret history between the two, if so than her master was very good at playing the part of obliviousness. It was a weak theory the cat would admit and she didn't really believe it herself, it was just something interesting to consider every now and then. The only real logical conclusion in her eyes was that he knew something about her master, something that would cause him to hold a great animosity – though hidden well – towards her.

It was troubling to be sure, what if this unknown information had to do with her or her other peerage members? A dirty secret that might cause a divide between them all.. shaking her head lightly she stopped that train of thought. ' _Rias-buchou saved me, saved everyone.. I have no reason to doubt her.._ '

Giving the seemingly empty ally where her Senpai should have been another once-over her face fell deadpan. This is what she'd meant by giving her a hard time, he would cut into somewhere hidden like an ally, behind a large wall or tall tree where no one was looking and just disappear without a trace. She assumed it was some sort of teleportation because of how abruptly he would vanish but there were never any traces of magic left behind to confirm her assumptions, however.

 _Surely_ it couldn't be just raw speed, right?.. _right_?. She shuddered at the thought.

"It isn't nice to follow people, y'know," a teasing voice called out behind the Nekomata causing her to jump slightly. Spinning to face the head of the alley where the voice originated from her expression fell apathetic as her gaze landed on her Senpai who was casually leaning against the side of one of the buildings surrounding them. The mischievous grin on his face actually brought a small pout to hers, much to the young man's surprise who had yet to see such an emotion from her.

"Have you had lunch yet?" he called out, lifting himself from the wall so that he could stand up straight. Seeing her shake her head in the negative he spoke up again, "I was just on my way to eat now, I know of a quiet little shop with food to die for, I'll buy you something to eat if you want."

Seeing her hesitate for a moment at his offer he decided to prod her further, "It'll be easier to keep an eye on me from up close right?" he added with a cheeky grin. When she finally nodded in acceptance of his reasoning he jutted his head to the side in a silent expression of ' _follow me,_ ' then continued "Come on, they have some amazing desserts there too."

He swore he could see ghostly images of two cat ears standing up straight atop her head at the mention of 'amazing deserts,' he'd heard she loved sweet things but never really knew how true it was. Well until now, the excited glint in her hazel eyes told him every word of that rumour was true.

The first few moments of their walk was done in comfortable silence, the smaller Koneko taking two steps for every one step of Ichigo's in an attempt at keeping up. He had slowed down his pace to make things easier but she could tell he wasn't used to being in the company of others, he displayed all the traits of a 'lone wolf' even though he tried hard to suppress them.

"So, do you do this a lot? The whole reconnaissance thing?" he asked, throwing a curious, sideways glance towards the girl.

Nodding her head she hummed out a brief affirmation, leaving her response with a simple reply of "sometimes.."

"It makes sense," Ichigo hummed out, more to himself than anything, "when it comes to hiding your presence and detecting others I can't say I've met anyone in this town even close to you in terms of skill, you've almost spotted me more times than I care to admit," he finished with a small chuckle.

Koneko really felt like asking when these supposed times had been because as far as she was concerned she couldn't track him in the slightest when he didn't want her too. Speaking of.. "why don't you leave traces of magic after teleportation?"

Much to her surprise, Ichigo rounded on her with an expression that said he was just as confused as he was.

"You haven't noticed?" he asked incredulously, "I don't leave traces of magic because I don't use magic in the same sense that you do, I can't actually use those teleportation circles."

This time it was Koneko's turn to look at him with an uncharacteristic shock, "so you really are just that fast..?"

Ichigo merely shrugged, "speed has always been one of my specialties, plus I've trained a lot in controlling my own energy and suppressing it, so it's not surprising that you would assume I'm teleporting."

While interesting his answer was it merely caused another question to pop up, "how to do travel between dimensions?" To teleport between dimensions wasn't something easy to do, even if you could use teleportation magic and magic circles if you didn't have high enough levels of power to push through the dimensional barriers than you wouldn't be able to cross.

Her master and Akeno-senpai could, if need be, use a magic circle to get to Hell in an emergency but the reason they mostly used the dimensional train still was because they weren't strong enough yet to be trusted with cross-dimensional travel on a regular basis.

If her Senpai couldn't use the magic at all then how did he do it?

"I have a technique," he said with an air of nonchalance, like techniques for travelling between dimensions were the most common thing around. "Though mine isn't as smooth as the magic circle that you guys use. My technique breaks a hole through the dimensional wall, then I have to cross the dimensional gap and break a hole in the dimensional wall of my destination which allows me to 'crossover,' so to speak."

The Nekomata stopped dead in her tracks at his words and her eyes bugged out. Was that a headache she could feel coming on or had her brain just given up trying to rationalize the existence stood in front of her. It felt like she was part of an 'in another world' manga where the main character is brokenly overpowered and doesn't even know it because they don't understand the new world they're in and the logic that governs it. And her new Senpai was the brokenly overpowered character.

He just casually admitted to being able to shatter dimensional walls and survive trips through the dimensional gap.. she just couldn't keep up with this.

"Judging by your expression I just said something pretty crazy, huh.." he mused, his right hand coming up to scratch the back of his head in embarrassment.

Taking a deep breath of air she slowly exhaled back out a regained her usual look of disinterest, she would eventually learn to stop expecting the normal from someone who the rules of common sense clearly didn't apply too, if not she'd probably just lose her sanity.

Seeing that they were drawing a fair bit of attention from the people around as they just stood there Koneko started walking forward again, Ichigo wordlessly falling into step alongside her once more.

"At least you'll have something good to report back to Gremory-san now, I'm sure she'll give a good reaction if it's really as crazy as you make it out to be," he finished in a huff of laughter.

She understood that it was only logical for him to assume she had spilled his secrets to her master, he had no reason to think otherwise, but.. she would admit that it still hurt her a little bit to know that he had so little faith in her, especially after he'd originally opened up and told her a little about himself when he had no obligation to do so.

But again, she completely understood why he assumed what he did, however.. "I didn't tell her anything.."

* * *

Sitting down on the park bench Ichigo pulled his right leg up and set his ankle squarely over his left knee, feeling the wood beneath him shift ever so slightly he glanced at the diminutive girl whom he'd just shared lunch with. Well lunch for him, she had instantly passed on the regular foods and gone straight for the dessert menu, not the healthiest of lunches but for someone of the supernatural, it didn't really matter. Having been in her presence for so long now he'd really come to realize how reticent she was. He didn't see it as a bad thing though, how could he when Chad was the same way? Just like with his brother back home he'd just needed to look for her subtle nuances. The way her hazel eyes turned molten gold if she was happy or excited, the way her eyelids would droop if she was unimpressed with someone or something going on around her, the way her lips would purse ever so slightly with a pout when she was mad, the small crinkles that would appear at the corners of her eyes when she found something funny.

It was honestly surprising how expressive she was if you only knew what to look for.

Uttering out a sharp ' _tsk_ ' under his breath he looked away from the people passing by on the street, the amount of attention the two of them had gotten while out was absurd. It had started earlier when he'd noticed a group of students that went to Kuoh Academy pointing with shocked looks on their faces and typing wildly on their phones, now it felt like everywhere he looked there were more students coming to catch a peek at the duo.

He could understand it, Koneko was the school's mascot and extremely popular between both males and females and he – as much as he hated it – was popular with the female student body, they were something like idols at Kuoh with others like Rias, Akeno, Sona and Kiba. The young Shinigami thought the whole thing was stupid but it's how it had always been, even at Karakura High.

"I thought you would be better with it," the Nekomata suddenly spoke up, having watched him glare at onlookers for long enough.

"You'd think so," he began in a light tone though it didn't take long for it to come back down, "I used to get picked on because of my hair, fought a lot because of it, I gained a reputation as a delinquent which got me even more unwanted attention through middle and high school, well before coming here at least."

"You _do_ look like a delinquent Senpai.."

"Che, whatever," he responded with mock annoyance, "what about you then? How do you deal with the attention so well?"

Instead of a verbal response, the girl merely shrugged her shoulders, an action which caused her Senpai's eye to twitch.

Discontent with the silence that surrounded them the Nekomata decided to ask something which had been bugging her since the Kendo incident, "Who was that?"

The ' _who_ ' she was referring to was obviously Ryujin Jakka, the spirit had told him that he'd made contact with her briefly when hopes of reawakening hos powers were looking dim. Regarding the girl briefly from the corner of his eye he mulled over the question and what response he should give, he definitely didn't want to give a long-winded full explanation so instead, he simply said, "he's the manifestation of my power."

"So you control fire then?" she asked curiously.

"Among other things, fire is just my main attribute I guess you could say."

"Other things like?"

Ichigo couldn't help but huff out in laughter at her question, "Oi oi, I've got to have some secrets don't I?"

"You know everything about me," she quipped back with a small pout.

Ichigo grimaced, "not _everything_ ," he tried to defend, ' _just most things,_ ' it would probably be best if he kept that thought to himself.

Deciding it was time to change the subject Ichigo figured it was his turn to ask something which had been bugging him, "why didn't you tell her about me?"

He didn't receive a response immediately, in fact, she sat there for a few moments without making so much as a peep, even though she hadn't said so yet herself it was quite obvious to the teen that she didn't know why she'd held her tongue either.

"I.. don't know.."

When she finally did speak and Ichigo could hear the guilt and inner turmoil she felt over the decision he decided that he would press the subject no further. "Well I appreciate it, seriously, I promise you won't have to keep me a secret forever, just a little longer.." and that really was the truth, he had a bad feeling that things were going to turn south real soon.

* * *

~ A/N:

 **So, where have I been? Honestly, I just haven't been writing xD I've been watching lots of anime, reading lots of manga and playing lots of xbox. Skyrim and Dragon Age are great at eating up free time lol. Now NHL 19 came out so I'll be spending a lot of time on that, but don't worry I'll still be writing.**

 **On the subject of anime I watched the new season of DXD and honestly, I liked it. The new art style was a little hard to get used to but I do like it, the original had its good points of course but the new style isn't bad either. I'm glad they went back to the LN's for material and fixed the mess that was S3. The fight scenes were good, True Longinus is one of the most badass weapons I've ever seen and Kunou is cute as hell.**

 **If you have any thoughts on this chapter than feel free to leave a review, I'm always looking to improve my writing and so constructive feedback is appreciated. If you have any questions then feel free to message me, I always reply when I can.**

 **\- Vertius**


	13. Announcement

Announcement

If you care about this story than I would advise reading all of this!

Now then, I already know what you're thinking. ' _Oh god here it comes, Vertius is announcing that he's abandoning this story._ ' And you'd be right.. sort of.

Let me explain.

Its been nearly three and a half months since my last update for the story and that's been for a couple reasons. The first of which is a combination of a couple things, some of which was mentioned in the recent re-upload of 'In Darkness, Reborn.' To sum it up I've been working on other projects, I have other hobbies asides from writing and recently it was Christmas and I got Red Dead Redemption 2 and Battlefield 5 which are both really awesome and have been eating up my time since.

The second and larger reason is that I've been sort of unhappy with the story since honestly the beginning. The largest reason being Ichigo's Zanpakuto. I never really wanted to give him Ryujin Jakka, I just had no other option either than letting him keep Zangetsu which defeated the whole purpose of the story.

So I could either a) not write the story. b) give him Ryujin. or c) pull some randomly created sword out of my ass and poorly translate it with google translate. Option b was that only choice at the time and I was _kind of_ okay with it.

It's been nearly two years since I posted the first chapter – which is crazy, I had to double-take the first time I saw that little tidbit, time sure flies – and in those two years I've grown and matured a lot, not only as a writer but as a person. My tastes have changed since I embarked on this journey and looking back on it there are many little things and some major that I don't agree with now or just don't like anymore.

That isn't to say I'm not proud of the story, that couldn't be further from the truth. This was the first major project I not only started but actually stuck with, and now look at us. Twelve chapters, a hundred and forty-four thousand words, nearly two thousand favourites and over two thousand follows. And the craziest thing of all? Guardian of the Dead is on _page three_ of Bleach crossovers. Not just Bleach/Highschool DXD, out of ALL Bleach crossovers we've made it to page three.. that's _insane_.

But, as proud as I am of the story, as happy as I am with all of the support it has received, I don't really want to continue it, not in its current state at least.

So, long story short what the hell am I getting at? A re-write and revamp starting with Ichigo's Zanpakuto which still won't be Zangetsu but also won't be stolen from another Shinigami. The sword he will be getting has never had an owner and is one of- if not the coolest I've ever seen and has a seriously cool backstory.. like really really seriously cool. Those of you who have read whats thus far been translated of 'Can't fear your own world' may know which sword I'm referring too. If not well you'll find out eventually.

I've already started planning the re-vamp because it was an interesting idea to toy with even before I made the call to actually go through with it. And, looking back on my notes for the twelve chapters of this story it was really fascinating seeing the butterfly effect of changes that all sprung up just from changing the sword he wielded.

Don't get me wrong, this isn't going to be a completely different story the second time around. It will be different, there's no denying that, but it's still going to be the same GOTD with many similarities that you originally liked, just better.

So look, I know there is going to be a mixed reaction to this. Some of you are going to say to hell with it, you don't have time for a re-write and you'll be done with this story permanently. Some of you will give the new version a try and either like it or not. And some of you will simply read it because you like what I post. I'm fully expecting to lose some followers with the re-write but that's okay because its what I want to do, what will make me happy.

So, before I call it a wrap for this version of 'Guardian of the Dead,' I'd just like to give a quick thanks to everyone again who has supported me thus far, it means more than you'll ever know. I'd also like to give an extra shout-out to AlbatrossWearer who I've talked with recently. While our conversation wasn't overly long he/she did help me make this decision by just letting me talk about it with someone and sort of get it off my chest.

Anyways, thanks again to everyone who has supported this and I look forward to hopefully seeing you in the new version.

(I won't be deleting this version, I want to keep it as memories. I will be uploading the new version separately.)

\- Vertius


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